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A NATURAL SYSTEM 



OF 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY, 

FOUNDED ON AN ANALYSIS 

OF THE 

HUMAN CONSTITUTION 

CONSIDERED IN ITS THREE-FOLD NATURE — MENTAL, 
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND EXPRESSIONAL. 



BY 



THOMAS A. HYDE AND WILLIAM HYDE. 



ILLUSTRATED. K& 

MAY2BM.886/C 



NEW YORK: 

FOWLER & WELLS CO., PUBLISHERS, 

No. 753 Broadway. 

1886. 






COPYRIGHT BY 

FOWLER & WELLS CO. 

1880. 



C. E. Martin, Printer, 
5 Clinton Place, New York. 



DEDICATION. 



THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO HENRY S. 

Drayton, A.M., M.D., by the authors, as a token 

OF RESPECT AND CONSIDERATION FOR HIS KIND ASSIST- 
ANCE IN PREPARING IT FOR THE PRESS. 






PEEFAOE. 



The study of eloquence in all ages has had a peculiar fas- 
cination, especially for those who have gained some reputa- 
tion as public speakers. Demosthenes, Pericles and iEschi- 
nes and other great Grecian orators devoted much of their 
time to the study. Quintillian and Cicero wrote books on the 
subject of eloquence, and then example has been followed by 
many modern public speakers. Lords Chatham and Pitt were 
faithful students of oratory; Burke and Sheridan wrote essays 
on the subject. Nor have the great American orators been 
laggards in this department. The most celebrated and accom- 
plished of our American speakers have devoted much care 
and attention to the study of elocution. Webster, Clay, 
Wirt, Choate, Edward Everett, Gough, Henry Ward Beecher, 
and Wendell Phillips all bear testimony to the benefits which 
come from a practical study of oratory. In our day it is 
very doubtful whether a public speaker could long remain 
popular with an American audience if his delivery were 
defective, for the taste of the American people in this respect 
has reached a degree of culture which demands, at least, 
a graceful and easy style of elocution. There has arisen 
within the last twenty years a very earnest demand for elo- 



6 PREFACE. 

cutionary readings. In truth, we might say that elocutionary 
readings have created a new profession, for the names of 
elocutionists appear on our Lyceum courses even more fre- 
quently than those of lecturers. Public readings have come 
in to satisfy a realized necessity. They provide an excellent 
entertainment for social gatherings and festival occasions. 
They occupy a position midway between the lecture platform 
and the stage, avoiding on the one hand the dry details and 
matter of fact of the former, and the doubtful propriety of 
attendance on the latter. Fastidious people can attend a 
course of readings who could not with propriety visit a the- 
atre. The study of elocution and oratory is therefore very 
important, not only to public speakers, but to those who seek 
merely for voice improvement. 

It is with the hope of directing more attention to this great 
subject that we have written this book. It is a new way of 
presenting the subject as will become evident to the most cas- 
ual reader. Yet it deals with everything of importance found 
in the standard books on elocution and oratory, and at the 
same time unfolds new laws and principles never alluded to 
in any other work. Its origin may be briefly stated. 

Although the general principles were in the minds of the 
authors for more than fifteen years and had been put in prac- 
tice in giving instruction to pupils, they were first embodied 
concisely in an essay on " The Study of Character," written 
at Harvard University, in the year of their graduation. It 
did not then occur to the authors that a book written on the 
basis of the principles set forth in that essay would fill a 
vacancy in that kind of literature until they were fairly in- 
volved in their professional studies. As their profession 
demanded they should give some attention to the art of speech, 
they read many books on the subject and found that the 
characteristic defect of all was that they did not proceed on a 
right basis. Their authors were carried away so much by the 
external signs of elocution that they lost sight of its inner 
spirit. Of all the books read and consulted, not one seemed 
to have caught the idea of adjusting their teachings to the 
needs of the human mind and body. Thus, it became evident 
that in order to found a system of oratorical instruction which 



PEEFACE. 7 

would aid in the formation of a natural style of elocution' 
the study of the human constitution should be made a part 
of that system. The authors have endeavored to bring their 
knowledge of the human mind and its classification into a 
harmonious union with the leading principles of oratory, and 
the result has been the introduction of new and vital elements 
into the study of eloquence. It should seem evident that the 
very first requisite for successful instruction in oratory or 
any department of mental science would be the adaptation of 
general principles to the natural faculties of the mind ; for 
as a pilot deprived of his chart would steer blindly, so the 
elocutionist teaches at random, if he does not understand the 
general make-up of his pupils. A knowledge of the human 
constitution seems to be at the very basis of correct instruc- 
tion in oratory. 

It is usual for writers on oratory to devote many pages 
showing the necessity for the study of elocution, and in an- 
swering objections, but we have avoided these because the 
very principles which we enunciate as the pilots of our system 
are so reasonable that discussion is uncalled for. It is reason- 
able to suppose, for instance, that the three great conditions 
which are pointed out as underlying all true expression are 
so evident to every thinking mind that no objection could be. 
raised against their cultivation. These three conditions are : 
(1). The mental state must be vivid and active in order to as- 
sume the external signs of elocution. (2). The physical in- 
strument for the conveyance of the mental excitement must 
be flexible and responsive to the feeling. (3). The external 
signs must be appropriate emblems of the thought or emo- 
tion expressed. If any of these three conditions are not 
complied with the elocution will be imperfect. The removal 
of the defect is accomplished by training. If the mental 
feeling is weak, develop it ; if the instruments of expression 
are not flexible, train them ; if the outward signs do not cor- 
rectly portray the inward passion, train the mind to make a 
proper selection. Thus this system of instruction is founded 
upon reasonable principles, and there is left no room for arti- 
ficiality, for the mental state is trained at the same time that 
the external signs of expression are taught. 



ft PREFACE. 

The principles of this system of oratory, since they have 
been deduced from a consideration of the human constitu- 
tion, will be found interesting* and useful even to those who 
are not engaged in the study of oratory. To the student of 
character and human nature, to the philosopher in search of 
first principles this system offers many suggestions worthy 
their consideration. The book will also be welcomed, we 
hope, in many other quarters, for the aim is wide and the 
spirit sincere. It will be very useful to those seeking a gen- 
eral or liberal education. 

Cambridge, Mass., January 2, 1886. 






CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 
A Consideration of a True Basis for a System of Elocution and Oratory- 
Man's Constitution in its Threefold Aspects— Errors of Prevailing- Systems- 
Directions asjtoTone, Inflection, etc., not sufficient — The Mental States must 
be Distinguished — Naturalness in Delivery — Expression obeys Definite 
Principles — The Kernel of Elocutionary Training found in the Psychological 
side of Man's Constitution — What the Physical Side Includes — The Elements 
of Power in Delivery— The Language of the Mental Faculties and Impedi. 
ments to Expresssion — Two plans by which Obstruction to Delivery may be 
Removed— The Mental side considered in detail — Individual Organs and 
Cerebral Centers, their Language — How to remove Obstructions to Expres- 
sion — Modes of Activity of the Mental States — Three Degrees of Activity — 
Effect of the Mental States— The Mental States Distinguished. 



CHAPTER II. 
Personal Oratory— Analysis of the Character, Qualifications and Natural 
Gifts of the Orator— The Psychological Conditions — Special Endowments — 
Styles of Oratory— Important Organic Requisites— Demosthenes, Chatham, 
Chalmers— Power of Language — Parabolic Illustration— The Physiological 
side — The Vital-Mental Temperament — Characteristics of Good delivery — 
Mistakes of Elocutionists — The Physiognomical side — Phillips Brooks — 
Henry Ward Beecher— Balance of Constitution. 



CHAPTER III. 
Analysis, Classification and Description — The Sentiments and Emotions 
considered in their Threefold nature as Excitemental States of Instincts or 
Propensities — The True Basis of Classification — Love Emotions and Passions 
considered — Affectional, Social, Patriotic and Self Preservative — Their 
Mental, Physiological and Expressional conditions— Examples in Prose and 
Poetry— Their utility in Oratory. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Self-regarding Emotions — Self-estimative, Self-exaltative, Self-depreca- 
tory — Their functions in Expressive Oratory — Selections in Prose and 
Poetry. 



CHAPTER V. 
Resistive, Aggressive and Malign Emotions and Passions— Their Expres- 
sion in Oratory— Illustrations in Prose and Poetry. 



CHAPTER VI. 
Precautionary Emotions and Passions — Acquisitive, Precautionary and 
Secretive — Their Lansruag-e — Illustrations. 



10 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Transcendental Emotions and Passions — Submissive, Supernatural, Anti- 
cipatory, Exuberant, Conscientious, Imitative, Mirthful, Imaginative, 
^Esthetic — Their function in Oratory Explained. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
Intellectual, Appetitive and Special Emotions and Passions— Intellectual 
Operations become Emotional— The Appetites when indulged lead to Emo- 
tional Conditions— Special Emotions not Peculiar to any Particular Instinct. 



CHAPTER IX. 
Cultivation of the Mental States — Preliminary Considerations— Cause of 
Emotions and Passion— Methods of their Cultivation— The Soul of Oratory 
is Feeling— Cultivation of Mental States Important in Oratory — Methods of 
Cultivation— Spontaneous Energy— Internal Ideations and Physical Excite" 
ment — Presentation of Objects— Prose and Poetry — Listening to Good 
Reading or Speaking— Volition— Thought — Ideal Cultivation — Imagination — 
Sympathy— Imitation— Opposition — Playfulness — Exercise — Association- 
Assumption of the Language of Mental States — Extemporization — 
Meditation. 



CHAPTER X. 
The Expression of the Mental States in word Language— Sentiments in 
keeping with the Nature of Passions— A Knowledge of verbal Language 
essential to Correct Delivery— Ancient Orators acquainted with Rhetorical 
Expression — Modern Systems of Teaching Oratory Unnatural— Various 
Degrees of Excitement of Mental States — Cause of Insincerity — Flue, 
tuations of Passion— Sentiment Corresponds to tone of Passion— Words in 
keeping with the Nature of Passion — Origin of Words— Harsh Passions 
Expressed by Harsh Words — Love Emotions by Musical Words— Faults in 
the Expression of the Mental States. 



CHAPTER XI. 
Influence of the Mental States on Style in General— Characteristics of 
Oratorical Style — Appeals to the Emotions and Passions — Phraseology 
Striking — Conversational and Periodic Constructions — The Influence of 
Character on Style — Good Style, how Cultivated — Dr. Blair's Definition of 
Eloquence — Cicero — The Author's Characteristics of Oratorical Style — 
Direct Address— Conversational Forms— Emotive Constructions. 



CHAPTER XII. 

Three Grand Divisions of the Oratorical Style — The Basis of these 

Divisions — Simple or Normal — Excitemental or Emotional — Passional or 

Vehemental — Consideration of Simple or Normal Style — Clearness of 

Method and Conceptions— Conciseness — Diffuseness — Repetition— Verbosity. 



CONTENTS. 11 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Emotional Style— Emotion leads to Persuasion— Vivacity— Harmony- 
Pathos— Figures of Speech — Enthusiasm — Brilliancy — Imagination — Illus- 
trations — Euphony — Elegance — Rhythm — No Orator Persuasive if not Emo- 
tional—Word-painting — Onomatopoeia — Figurative Language — Apostrophe- 
Vision— Epithets— Amplification — Climax — Direct appeals— Illustrations. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Passional Style— The Highest Eloquence Born of Passion — Characteristics 
of Passional Style— Energy and Vehemence — Simplicity — Precision — 
Brevity — Resistive and Aggressive Passion— Precautionary and Prophetic — 
Justice and Benevolence — Freedom — Sudden Outbursts of Feeling— Varieties 
of Style — Vapid — Bombastic — Gilded — Sentimental — Hysterical— Rant- 
Gushing — Pretentious — Vulgar — Frigid — Monotonous— Style must corre- 
spond with Degree of Excitement of Faculty— Elocution must correspond 
with Emotion — Cause of Insincerity in the Pulpit. 



CHAPTER XV. 

The Intellectual Faculties Gather Material— Necessity of Thinking— Effect 
of Original Thought — Intellectual Processes Considered— Cause of feeble 
Delivery— Classification of Thought — Proposition— Arrangement — Argument 
— Classification of Argument — How to Present Intellectual Thought — 
Causality — Confusion— Every Faculty Interested by its own food — The 
Number of Excited Faculties heighten Interest— Intellectual thought and 
Emotive thought— Their Relation— Imagination — Why Intellectual thought 
is Uninteresting — Popular Scientific writers. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Function of the Will, Imitation, Imagination and Magnetism— Imitation — 
Mental Pattern, Imperfect Types— Provincialisms — Finish of Dramatic 
Elocution due to Imitation— Necessary to correct Interpretation— Imagina. 
tion in Delivery enables the Reader to Conceive the Meaning of an Author- 
Magnetism— Its Definition and Explanation— Oratorical Magnetism— Recip- 
rocal Influence of Speaker and Audience— Power of Oratory— Function of 
the Will— How the Will Influences Oratory— The Will can change Direc- 
tions of Thought— Reserve Power— Stages of Passion— Effect of Reserve 
Power on Orator and Audience— Value to the Orator— How to Cultivate 
Reserve Power. 



CHAPTER XVII. 
The Influence of the Temperaments— Temperament defined— Motive Tem- 
perament—Characteristics—Voice in the Motive Temperament— Abnormal 
motive Temperament — Vital Temperament Characteristics — Orators of the 
Vital Temperament, Abnormal Vital-mental Temperament — Characteristics 
—Abnormal Mental Temperament— Effect of Temperamental Combination 
—The Oratorical Temperament— The Sympathetic Temperament mistaken 



12 CONTENTS. 

for Oratorical — Influence of Organic Quality — Genius for Poetry and 
Oratory — How to Cultivate the Oratorical Temperament — Oratorical Tern 
perament most favorable to Health— Diet — Health— Favorable Times for 
Speaking. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 
Obstructions to Proper Expression of the Mental States— Two Kinds of 
Obstruction, Mental and Physical — How Removed — The Aim of Good 
Speaking— The Requisites of Persuasion— Power in the thought — Feeble 
Delivery and its Cause— Character of the thought shown in the Delivery— 
Critical Minds— Direct Address — Sub-processes — Memoriter and Extempore 
Delivery — Methods of Great Orators — An Estimate of each Method— Natural 
Gifts in Reading — Eminent Elocutionists — Written Discourse should be 
Oratorical — Sermons Prepared like Essays — Imagination will enable an 
Orator to Write for the Occasion— Discourse should be written under the 
Influence of Emotion and Passion— How Manuscript may be as Effective as 
Extempore Speaking— How to Develop Oratorical Style— How to Deal With 
an Audience — Good Reading and Bad Reading — How to become a Good 
Reader — Improvisations without MS. — The Advantages of Reading from 
MS.— Memoriter Delivery— Methods of Great Orators— Memoriter Speaking 
a Stepping-stone to Extempore— How to Memorize a Discourse— Objections 
to Memoriter Delivery Answered — Extempore Speaking, its Advantages- 
Disadvantages — Difference between Inspirational and Extempore Speaking 
—Suggestions on the Preparation of Subject Matter— Meaning of Words 
and Phrases— Power of Words— Choice of Words— Attention to Details- 
Fluency— How Acquired. 



CHAPTER XIX. 
The Physiology of the Voice— Principles of Sound— Chest— Lungs- 
Abdominal Muscles-Diaphragm— Bronchi— Larynx— Vocal Cords— Glottis- 
Epiglottis— Pharynx— Mouth — Nasal Passages — Inspiration — Expiration — 
Proper and Improper Breathing— Exercises for Developing breathing power. 

CHAPTER XX. 

Natural Elocution— Key to Natural Delivery — Changes of Pitch and In- 
flection — Monotony — Emphasis — Evil results of employing one kind of 
Emphasis — Pauses — Use of Pauses in Memoriter Delivery and Reading. 
Voice-Coloring — School-marm Style — Style of the Oratorically-gif ted — How 
Spoiled— Habitual or Acquired Style— Cultivation of Natural Delivery. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

The Voice in Expression— Voice the Chief Instrument of Expression- 
Comparison of Voice and gesture— Variation of Voice Arises from Variation 
of Feeling— Effect of the Exhilarating Emotions— Loudness, its Relation to 
Feeling — Quality and its Modifications— Whispering, Guttural, Pectoral, 
Falsetto Voices— Breath and Rate of Utterance— Leading Principles of the 
Constitutional System of Oratory— Pitch— Inflection — Stress— Aggressive, 
Malign, Love, Precautionary and Other Emotions — Voice Expressive of 



CONTENTS. 13 

Character— Modifications of Voice Depend upon the Vocal Crgans— 
Honest, Sympathetic, Musical, Soothing, Rollicking, Plaintive, Puzzling, 
Croaking, Murderous, Snaky Snod-grass, Hypocritical, Company, Yawning, 
Combative, Aggressive, Executive, Conscientious, Benevolent, Reverential, 
Spiritual, Intellectual and Fossil Voices— The Clergyman's, Physician's and 
Lawyer's Voice— National and Provincial— Hard to Classify— Menagerie 
Voices. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

Cultivation of the Voice — Methods of Cultivation — Opening and Closing 
tone Exercises— Cultivation of Register. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 
Analysis of the Voice — Qualities of the Voice — Effusive, Expulsive, Ex- 
plosive Orotund with exercises for cultivation— Smoothness— Clearness- 
Versatility — Strength — Compass — Intensity— Reach — Aspirate — Guttural- 
Pectoral— Falsetto— Nasal— Their significance in Expression. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 
Elements of the English Language and their Articulation — Rules and 
Exercises for Articulation — Impediments of Speech — Lisping, Stuttering 
and Stammering ; their Causes— Rules and Exercises for their Eradication. 



CHAPTER XXV. 
Accent and Pronunciation — Elements of the English Language — Form and 
Position of the Vocal Organs in Enunciation. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 
Modifications of Voice— Pitch— Inflection— Time— Pause— Force— Stress- 
Rhythm— Emphasis. 



CHAPTER XXVII, 
Modulation— Imitative Modulation. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 
Transition— Transitions of Voice — Transition in the Passions. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

The Principles of Gesture— Exercises for acquiring Ease and Grace in 
Gesture — Classification of Gesture — Position in Gesture— The Supine or 
open Hand— Notation of Gesture— The Prone Hand— The Vertical Hand — 
The Arms— The Hands— The Fingers — The Body— The Countenance— The 



14 CONTENTS. 

Head— The Eye-brows— The Eyes— The Nostrils— The Mouth— The Lips— The 
Lower Limbs. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

Reading in General— Requisites for Good Reading— Departments of Read- 
ing — Common Conversation — Family Reading — Parlor Reading — Public 
Reading— Lecture Room— Professional Requisites— John Wilson as a Lee 
turer— The Lecture Platform as a Field— Wendell Phillips, Gough and others - 
Characteristics of Great Lecturers — Legal Oratory — Thomas Erskino a 
Model Pleader ; his Knowledge of Human Nature. Characteristics of Other 
Orators — Political Oratory — Requisites — Chatham, — Fox — Mirabeau— 
O'Connell — Clay — Webster — Dramatic Eloquence — The Stage as a Con- 
servator — The Art of Impersonation — Study of Character — Study of the 
Language of the Mental States— Some Eminent Histrionic Artists— Edwin 
Booth — Irving — Their Work of Reform — Characteristics of their Style. 
Sacred Reading— Episcopal Church— People Weary of Conventional Tones- 
Holy Whine— Difference of Style Between Pulpit and Histrionic Eloquence — 
How to Read the Bible — Character of the Mental States Distinguishes 
Pulpit from Legal Eloquence— Eminent Preachers considered— Temperament 
for a Preacher — Elocution in the Pulpit — Nasal Twang — Guttural Snarl — 
Sing-song and Aspirate Tones— Artificial Tones— Magical Rites— Represent 
atives of the Pulpit— St. Chrysostom— Whitefield— Chalmers— Robertson. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

The Study of Character Essential to Successful Eloquence — Knowledge of 
Character Enables the Orator toSuit his Audience— A Scheme of Character 
Reading Valuable — The* Principle that Expression Resembles the Idea 
holds Good in the Study of Character— Concluding Remarks. 



INTRODUCTION". 



The literary world is so satiated with books that 
authors feel it their duty upon the issuing of a new 
book to offer an apology to the reading public for 
adding to the already overcrowded list. The best 
apology we can offer is the title which our book 
bears. A natural system of Elocution and Oratory, 
founded upon an analysis of the human constitution. 

There is always room for something new. New 
ways of looking at truths, new methods of presenting 
principles are always useful. We never can fathom 
the rich deeps of any subject without turning it over 
and over and looking at it from all points of view. It 
is in this way that a complete and universal knowledge 
of any subject is reached. What one mind has failed 
to see or has imperfectly expressed is grasped by 
some other mind and made luminous and more per- 
suasive. When these fragments of truth, exaggerated 
as they may be by the enthusiasm of each writer, are 
collected, a complete and scientific work is the result. 
And we can say after reading such a work, ''Well, 
that is as near perfection as is possible." When a 
science has reached this stage, then, and not till then, 
ought it to be thrown aside by authors. But if a 
subject is still in a fragmentary state, every writer 



14 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

who conceives that he can add to the general fund is 
not only excusable if he publishes his opinions, but 
it is even his duty to give the public the benefit of 
his thoughts. If the public esteem them worthless 
that is another question, and a question with which 
the author is not concerned. It is every man's duty, 
if he believes that he has truths which will aid any 
worthy enterprise or the cause of human progress, to 
modestly yet resolutely strive to put such truths be- 
fore his fellow men for their acceptance or rejection. 
Acting in this spirit we have been prevailed upon to 
publish our system of oratory. As its title declares, 
it is an entirely original way of presenting the sub- 
ject. 

There are no books on oratory which treat the sub- 
ject from the standpoint of the human constitution. 
Indeed, to mention a few prominent writers who have 
written in modern times on the subject of oratory is 
equivalent to enumerating the great epochs of the 
subject. Sheridan, Walker and Rush are typical of 
the progress of elocution. Modern writers have only 
taken up their systems and presented them more 
clearly with new illustrations. Walker's system of 
inflection placed elocution on a scientific basis as far 
as the slides of the voice were concerned, but his 
system was too artificial for general acceptance. Dr. 
Rush is supposed to have given a satisfactory analysis 
of the human voice. But none of these writers have 
approached the subject of eloquence from the stand- 
point of the human constitution. 

This is our aim, and it may be an ambitious one, and 
we confess we have some hesitation in giving our 
system to the world ; still we are consoled by the 
thought that there is every reason to suppose that we 
have added something to the fund of knowledge al- 



INTRODUCTION. 15 

ready gleaned in the field of eloquence, and after all 
it may draw the attention of more capable men to ex- 
plore this new field ; and thus revive the study of elo- 
quence, which has received no new additions for 
many years. 

The leading principles of the system of oratorical 
instruction advocated in this book may be briefly 
stated as follows : The aim of elocutionary instruc- 
tion should be to awaken the internal feeling rather 
than to assume the external language of the feeling 
or emotion. That is, the internal feeling should come 
first, not the external signs. The radical defect of 
nearly all systems of elocutionary instruction, which 
have hitherto appeared, is that they have not a 
philosophical basis, they deal too little with the in- 
ternal feeling, which when stimulated prompts the ex- 
ternal signs and too much with the external signs 
themselves. That is, they put the cart before the 
horse. Gestures, inflection and tones of voice are 
the external signs of the mental state and should fol- 
low the internal excitement, but modern systems of 
elocution teach that the assumption by the pupil of 
these signs expresses the passion or emotion. Hence 
modern elocutionary drill leads to artificiality in de- 
livery, for it is evident that the language of a passion 
may be assumed without necessarily awakening that 
passion. A man may express scorn by assuming the 
gestures of scorn without himself being at the same 
time scornful. The assumption of the language of 
the mental state may aid in expressing the meaning 
of each state, but the highest impression comes from 
the passionate activity of the mental states them- 
selves. The internal feeling when awakened seizes 
instinctively the right tone and gesture, and the ex- 
pression of the emotions in this way is genuine, 



16 . ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

natural and sincere. This internal feeling which 
ought to underlie every word and gesture uttered or 
expressed, is essential to natural oratory. When 
this is kindled the orator glows with divine fire. 

The cultivation of the internal feeling or soul of 
each word and gesture is generally neglected by 
modern elocutionists, they are satisfied if their pupils 
succeed in merely imitating the tone, look, gesture, 
or expression which they give them. And this is the 
reason why so many elocutionists are rarely able to 
read a selection from prose or poetry until they have 
laboriously studied each gesture and tone appropri- 
ate to the sentiment. Hence they are perpetually 
reading the same selections over and over again, be- 
cause they have learned their delivery as a system of 
notation, or so many bars of music, and they cannot 
afford the time to study new selections so carefully. 
The system of instruction which we advocate if faith- 
fully followed will enable the reader or speaker to 
grasp the meaning of the sentiment and almost in- 
stantaneously to feel the internal feeling or passion. 
The aim of the instructions given in this book is to 
develop the internal feelings and to cultivate every 
faculty of the mind so that they will readily respond 
when their proper objects are presented. Each in- 
stinct, emotion, and passion is analyzed, described, 
and its threefold nature, mental, physiological, and 
expressional, explained, and the methods of their cul- 
tivation unfolded. "We do not advocate the assump- 
tion of tones and gestures simply because they are 
the language of the mental states, but in order to 
stimulate the internal feeling, and also to enable the 
student to criticise his own delivery. 

The student should observe his gestures and the 
tones of his voice when under the influence of 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

emotion and passion and discover in this way what is 
his own natural style of elocution. The tones of 
voice and inflection which thus spontaneously arise 
when the speaker feels his subject are far more natu- 
ral than those supplied by any artificial notation. 
These tones may be employed again not for the pur- 
pose of deception, but to reproduce the feeling- which 
prompted them. In this way the student may be- 
come a self-critic, and make use of the instructions 
given in this book to cultivate his oratorical talents. 
Teachers differ so much in character and tempera- 
ment, and therefore in their conception of natural 
delivery, that unless they have studied human na- 
ture, or oratory according to the principles laid down 
in this book, they will be prone to impart their own 
style of eloquence to their pupils, and neglect to reg- 
ulate their instructions according to the nature and 
temperament of each pupil. This is borne out by the 
fact that many elocutionists have pupils whose style 
of elocution is an imitation of their own. In order 
to avoid such artificial instruction we have empha- 
sized the study of character and the human consti- 
tution in a manner not to be found in any other system 
of oratory. 

In addition to the general treatment of the subject 
according to the principles of the human constitution, 
we have given a chapter descriptive of the tempera- 
ments and the style of elocution natural to each, 
which any teacher can study, and by observing the 
temperamental combinations of his pupils can adopt 
his instruction with the view of developing each one's 
natural styles of delivery. Teachers who wish to be 
successful instructors in the art of oratory should 
give careful attention to the study of the characters 
of their pupils. Such a study will reveal the style of 



18 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

elocution natural to each one, and its defects and 
good qualities. Pupils differ much in their natural 
endowments. Some are capable of a quick and 
rapid delivery ; others are slow and deliberate. Some 
are full of fire ; others are not animated, and some 
have temperamental combinations which fit them for 
a peculiar style of elocution. The teacher should aim 
not to make all his pupils speak like himself, or 
to fashion them after some model style, but to give 
full scope to their natural endowments and prune 
away individual characteristics when objectionable 
and unharmonious. 

We are indebted for some valuable information, 
contained in the chapters on articulation and the cul- 
tivation of the voice, to the recent work of Brown and 
Behnke. 

In the exposition of the Psychological part, aid 
has been derived from Phrenological books. It must 
not be supposed, however, that the phrenological 
terms, which are frequently made use of in this work, 
are names for faculties which have no existence ex- 
cept on the Phrenological chart. If any reader is so 
foolish as to entertain this opinion we pity his ignor- 
ance of Psychology. The truth is that there is now no 
question raised by scientific men regarding the exist- 
ence of such instincts as those of combativeness, de- 
structiveness, self-esteem, etc. They are all agreed 
that we have such instincts, the question is in regard 
to their location. Bain admits the greater proportion 
of the instincts as set forth by Phrenology to be 
innate in the human constitution, and Darwin admits 
as instinctive far more propensities than Phrenology. 
The question regarding the proper location of these 
propensities in the human head does not concern the 
principles laid down in this book in regard to the 



INTRODUCTION. 19 

psychological, physiological* and expressional sides 
of our subject, except in the subordinate division of 
the expressional, the physiognomial aspect, or the 
permanence and durability of the expression, on the 
countenance, and the shape of the face and skull. 

In our classification of the passions we have almost 
entirely oiiginated names for the emotions and their 
divisions. And the description, language, and ex- 
position of the passions are the result of over fifteen 
years' observation and study of human nature. We 
have always taken delight in watching the expression 
of the feelings on the human countenance, and in 
the voice. The principles of expression suggested 
by these observations we have tested as far as prac- 
tical by the observations of others, especially by 
consulting modern authors, such as Darwin, who, 
while they were pursuing the subject of expression 
for an entirely different purpose, have thrown out 
many valuable observations and experiments, which 
we have found to add confirmation and growth to our 
own observations. We have consulted many stan- 
dard books on elocution ; some we found profitable, 
others were scarcely worth the time spent in reading 
them. They generally deal with the subjects of in- 
flection and emphasis until worn threadbare. They 
also talk a great deal about natural elocution, but 
they have nothing at all upon that which alone can 
give a key to the natural, namely the nature of the 
emotions and passions and their expression. 

It is this neglected side of Elocution that we have 
struggled to develop. We have endeavored to give 
the key to natural delivery by unfolding the nature of 
each emotion and passion in their threefold aspect, 
mental, physical, and expressional. We do not claim 
perfection of exposition or classification, but we think 



20 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

we have produced a chapter not to be found in any 
other book on the subject, such as will add curiosity 
and perhaps zeal to follow up the subject of elo- 
quence from the standpoint which we believe will in 
the end lead to satisfactory results. The chapter on 
the Cultivation of the Emotions and Passions and the 
chapter on the Expression of the Mental States by 
"Word-language and the effect of such states on the 
style of oratory have at least novelty and originality 
to commend them. In these chapters we have point- 
ed out how to cultivate the mental states for the pur- 
pose of oratory. In the chapter on Style we exam- 
ined oratorical composition from our peculiar stand- 
point. The various stages of excitement, which every 
faculty of the human mind undergoes, normal or sim- 
ple, excitemental or emotional, vehemental or pas- 
sional. 

In this chapter the characteristics of the oratorical 
style and the natural word-language of the passions 
are unfolded. It is hoped that a study of the 
verbal-language of the emotions and passions will 
lead to naturalness in delivery, since it is clearly 
shown that each passion has its own word represen- 
tion and peculiar elocution. We have endeavored to 
unfold the influence of the Will, Imagination, Imitation 
and Magnetism in oratory, rather concisely to be sure, 
but yet such treatmeut was necessary in order to 
make this book exhaustive. The same may be said 
concerning the chapter on the various departments of 
oratory ; we have been compelled to abridge the expo- 
sition of these important subjects, in order not to make 
the book too large. There are also two other chapters 
which develop very important topics in elocution, 
namely, the function of the Intellectual faculties in 
oratory and the Study of character as essential to 



INTRODUCTION. 21 

successful eloquence. Also the chapter on the Influ- 
ence of the Temperaments in eloquence is new and 
very important. 

The chapter on Natural Elocution, is an exposition 
of the principles which underlie impressive elocution. 
It also points out the defects of many so-called 
natural styles, and places delivery on the same basis 
with the other parts of oratory. The chapter on the 
Voice in expression shows how the voice reveals the 
character of the mental states, which rule a person's 
life. In the chapter on the Voice the whole subject 
of elocution is discussed and illustrated. 

Our aim has been to unfold principles and to give 
instruction rather than selections for recitations ; 
hence the number of selections are few and are chosen 
to illustrate principles. It would have been very 
easy to fill out a book with choice selections inter- 
spersed with a few instructions, but such was not our 
aim. The elocution market is glutted with such 
books already, and we do not wish to add another to 
the number. 

"While this treatise is primarly designed for students 
of oratory, yet so broad is its basis that it may be 
found useful to those who do not intend to study 
oratory. The exposition of the emotions and pas- 
sions and the unfolding of the principles of character 
reading ought to be interesting to the student of 
Psychology and to all who are interested in the study 
of human nature. The minister, doctor, lawyer, 
and business man will find his professional labors 
lightened and made more successful if they have a 
knowledge of human nature. A business man can 
make a better bargain if he is able to read the lan- 
guage of the instincts, for such language will supply 
Lim with the means of detecting dishonesty, de- 



22 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ception and exaggeration. So also a knowledge of 
the language of the instincts and emotions may be 
useful to almost every one. 

The objection may be raised against our system 
of oratory that it encourages emotional eloquence, 
or appeals to the passions rather than to the rea- 
son. In order to remove any misunderstanding on 
this head it ought to be remembered that we re- 
gard as emotions not only the feelings of ha- 
tred, love or revenge, but even certain states of 
the intellect ; hence when we speak of emotions 
and passions we mean peculiar states of excitement 
of a propensity or intellectual faculty, not what are 
called by metaphysicians emotions and passions. 
But the objection to spontaneous oratory has no 
reasonable basis whatever as we will endeavor to 
show. Those who make this objection regard an ap- 
peal to the emotions and passions as unjust, unreason- 
able and worthy only of condemnation. In truth, so 
far has this objection been urged that speakers often 
strive to persuade their audience that they have no 
oratorical passion, that they aim to convince the 
understanding, not to rouse the feelings. Which, if 
true, would make their oratory contemptible and 
feeble. The truth is that the opposition to impas- 
sioned oratory arises from ignorance of the nature 
of emotion and passion. There can be no eloquenco 
without passion. The soul of oratory is persuasion, 
and persuasion is the offspring of passion. How is it 
possible that the very life of human activity, the mo- 
mentum power of every good deed has been so vily 
traduced ? Can you point out a single action for the 
welfare of man which was not born of an emotion ? 
A man snatches a child from the jaws of death ; what 
did it ? His intellect ? No, it was the emotion of 



INTRODUCTION. 23 

love. Howard dives into the miserable alleys of over- 
crowded cities, into dens of crime and infamy. "What 
sent him there ? Common sense ? No, the emotion 
of philanthrophy, the love of humanity. Florence 
Nightingale tenderly binds the wounds of dying sol- 
diers and shudders not with woman's frailty at the 
sight of blood. Was it arguments that inspired her 
actions ? No, it was the divine passion of sympathy. 
Wallace, the hero of Scotland, becomes an outlaw, 
gathers his countrymen, drives the English over the 
border and makes Scotland once more an independent 
nation. What nerved his arm and made strong his 
blows ? Intellectual conviction ? No, it was the un- 
quenchable passion, love of country, and love of 
liberty. Every event in history, every deed of 
heroism, every deed of love, all that makes a 
nation great and honored may have been plan- 
ned and guided by the intellect, but passion was 
the executive force. The emotions and passions 
supply the very data for intellectual judgments. The 
restless and aspiring feelings of man's animal, moral, 
and spiritual nature are perpetually welling up and 
forming the motive power of all his thinking, of all 
his acting. Intellectualization is but a process, a 
mere sifting of the heart forces. He who controls the 
emotions and passions, controls the man. If the Bi- 
ble reiterates anything with volcanic emphasis, it is 
that the heart feelings, are the source of all action. 
" With the heart man believes, and out of the abund- 
ance of the heart the mouth speaketh." That is, there 
is no eloquence without the emotions and passions. 
Nothing but contemptible ignorance of the nature 
and function of passion could ever have originated 
this objection to oratory because it makes appeal to 
the feelings. What decision can be made or what 



24 Elocution and oratory. 

resolution carried out without emotion ? The decis- 
ions of law courts, though given in a calm and intel- 
lectual way, yet have as their momentum power the 
emotions of love of justice or equity. It is with a 
feeling of justice and conscience that the judge pro- 
nounces a prisoner's doom, and the same feeling 
strengthens the hangman's arm to pull the noose 
round the murderer's neck. We are never convinced 
of a man's innocence until he expresses himself with 
earnest feeling". Demosthenese refused to plead a cli- 
ent's case, because he told the story of his injuries 
without pathos and indignation. 

Dr. Blair declares there can be no eloquence without 
feeling ; and since the end of preaching is persuasion, 
and, there can be no persuasion without passion, pul- 
pit discourses which are not oratorical may be essays 
but cannot be sermons. The opposition to oratory 
on the ground of appeal to the feelings is founded 
upon ignorance and cannot reasonably be maintained. 

Another objection to emotional oratory has been 
urged that the words of orators have been purer than 
their deeds. That emotional fervor indicates nothing 
as regards upright character, the most eloquent being 
sometimes the most dishonorable and impure in their 
lives. Admitting the statement to be true, for the 
sake of argument, it will be found that his bad ac- 
tions spring from an entirely different group of emo- 
tions. Those propensities which make a man a drunk- 
ard, for instance, are not the same as those which 
make him eloquent. No one in his sober senses would 
say that the orator was bad because he was an orator. 
The appetites which now make him a bad man never 
could have made him eloquent in the pulpit. 

Eloquence is allied with virtue. We can never be 
deceived by it, if we are capable of discriminating 



INTRODUCTION. 25 

the language of each passion. Sometimes the speaker 
is accredited with more virtue than he really posseses, 
because his hearers mistake the energetic tone of the 
agressive emotion for earnestness. But a speaker 
whose eye is suffused with tears, whose voice trembles 
with sympathy, has the passion of benevolence in ac- 
tivity, and is sincere and honest in his expression for 
the moment at least, and no man can do more, not 
even the cool, intellectual speaker. If he chance to sin 
afterward it is not benevolence, but some opposite 
feeling which becomes the motive power. I deny 
the statement that orators as a class are more im- 
moral than other men. Their lives are so cocspicions 
that every thing they do is observed, they are sub- 
jected to every kind of criticism, their words are com- 
pared with their deeds, and they are expected to be 
angels, because good speakers. Now take your cool, 
calm, intellectual, dry-as-dust speaker, and what good 
is he ? If he is virtuous it is because he has not an emo- 
tion or passion capable of bursting into fiery energy. 
There is nothing to tempt in him, the fountains of 
action are dry, he is a fossil and his speeches are 
geological specimens of decripit old age. Better the 
thunder of the emotionl orator with all his faults and 
infirmities, than the empty egg-shell eloquence of the 
unemotional speaker. 

The emotional orator will stir men to a'ction, but this 
sapless speaker can move nobody. But is it true that 
orators have led worse lives than other men ? History 
reveals that orators have been the most saintly of men. 
Who restored religion to Israel and reproved the peo- 
ple for their evil deeds? The prophets. Examine 
their speeches and they are full of emotion and pas- 
sion. The most consummate orator the world has seen, 
was one who never wrote a word but moved the hearts 



26 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

of men by the eloquence of spoken words, Jesus of 
Nazareth. "Was he an immoral man ? Paul and Peter 
and John all appealed to the emotions and passions of 
men ; were they immoral ? It was the passionate fury 
of St. Chrysostom that made holy men even in the 
corrupt city of Constantinople. 

It was the fanatical eloquence of that good old 
man Peter, the hermit, that led the crusades. Was his 
character worse than the men of his day? Luther and 
Savonarola and Knox were orators of the passionate 
class and stood as high above the men of their day, in 
moral character as they stood in eloquence. When 
Philip thundered at the gates of Athens, Demosthen- 
ese was the only uncorrupt leader in the city and he 
lost his life, because of his impassioned eloquence. 
Cicero was among the most honorable of the Romans, 
and because he was true to his country his honest 
tougue, robbed of its eloquence, hung down from his 
ghastly head pleading silently the cause of liberty. 

It is a shame to say that orators are immoral men. 
They have been the first of patriots, the heralds of 
reform and the preachers of righteousness. 

Thomas A. Hyde. 

Cambridge, Mass. 



CHAPTER I. 



THE BASIS FOB A SYSTEM OF ELOCUTION AND OBATOBY 
DISCUSSED. 

In order to obtain a basis for a system of elocution 
and oratory it is necessary to study man's constitution. 
The laws of expression can only be discovered by a 
careful consideration of man's constitution in its 
threefold aspects, mental, physiological and expres- 
sional. A departure from this threefold considera- 
tion leaves room for error. Systems of Elocution 
hitherto have laid their foundation on some one of 
these to the neglect of the other two, or on mere 
conjecture rather than upon an equal consideration 
of all, hence the result has been a one-sided in- 
struction, or in some cases no instruction at all, 
but merely empirical directions, rules or fanciful 
hints. Some, for instance, emphasize external- 
delivery, give minute directions upon inflection, 
stress, tone, pitch and other modifications of voice 
and regard the skillful use of these as the true ele- 
ment in expression. But little is said of the mental 
state or condition which demands or moulds these 
modifications of voice, or upon what the laws of ex- 
pression depend. Others again, convinced by the ill 
(27) 



28 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

success of elocution taught in this way, have gone to 
the opposite extreme and declared that the only true 
way to learn oratory was to speak naturally ; a very 
good suggestion, but one which can be made by a 
wise-man or a fool according to what is meant by the 
word natural. That naturalness (in delivery) is the 
crowning quality, there never has been at any time a 
single doubt, but to analyze natural delivery and 
to show its laws is not so easy as to flippantly pro- 
nounce the seven elementary letters of which the 
word is composed, as those who talk the most about 
natural expression seem to imply. In truth it is right 
here that wisdom and foolishness lift up their heads, 
the first in an attitude of inquiry, perplexity and 
doubt, the second in an attitude of inflated conceit, 
confidence and settled opinion. The wise man knows 
perfectly well that to simply tell a young man to be 
natural in his delivery is equivalent to giving him no 
instruction at all. He is fully aware that nature in 
every respect has certain fundamental principles, or 
laws which underlie her forms of expression and that 
departure from these principles leads to artificiality. 
He knows full well that if he told an artist, a painter 
or a sculptor to be natural that he must also define 
what he means by natural, he must show the laws 
of perspective, the principles of light and shade. 
The relation between the various parts of the human 
body in repose and activity, or else his suggestion is 
but an idle word. The same principle applies to in- 
struction in elocution. Such instruction in order to be 
effectual must be founded upon reasonable principles. 
The teacher ought not to insist upon any mode of 
delivery or any kind of emphasis unless he can give 
a reason for that mode, and this reason should not 
be simply because he thinks that the delivery recom- 



THE BASIS FOE A SYSTEM DISCUSSED. 29 

mended is acceptable to him, but ought to be founded 
on a study of the laws of expression as revealed in 
the delivery of all men. 

In order to discover the laws of expression let us 
study man. To simplify this study we will leave out 
all consideration of man's other attributes and fix 
our attention exclusively upon human expression. 
When one man desires to communicate with another 
he accomplishes his purpose by certain signs or sym- 
bols. The signs or symbols consist of words, gestures, 
and exclamations. If we carefully consider these 
words and gestures we will find that they convey to 
our minds certain definite meanings. We seldom 
fail to separate each jesture, word and action and as- 
sign to them an individual meaning. Why is this ? The 
reason must be because these signs follow some prin- 
ciple, which, although we may not at the time re- 
cognize it, nevertheless is always present and shapes 
the character of the expression ; otherwise if gestures 
and words were merely assumed impromptu, without 
associated meaning, we would be unable to understand 
them. That we separate each sign and understand 
by it something definite is evidence that expression 
obeys certain laws. We wish to discover these laws if 
possible. Let us watch the character of the signs em- 
ployed. We notice that the words are not pronounced 
in the same dead level voice but have various sounds 
attached to them, and that these sounds are associ- 
ated with peculiar mental states. We are sure, for 
instance, that a man is angry by his look, the tone of 
voice, the gleam of fire in his eye, his excited and 
powerful gesticulation, the flush on his countenance, 
his dark and threatening aspect, his energetic move- 
ments. And we are just as positive that a man is 
well pleased or is under the opposite passion of love 






30 ELOCUTION A.ND OKATORY. 

from the character of another set of signs employed. 
And between these extremes of expression we are 
capable of recognizing a multitude of intermediate 
shades of meaning. Now we would be utterly in- 
capable of doing this if expression did not conform 
to some definite and unalterable principles. 

How these laws have arisen does not concern the 
subject of our inquiry, but belongs rather to the 
science of mind or anthropology. All that is neces- 
sary for our purpose is to recognize the fact, that 
peculiar inflection of voice, tones, emphasis and spe- 
cial attitudes and gestures of the body are always as- 
sociated with certain mental states. These gestures 
and inflections may be regarded as forming the sub- 
ject of the Expressional side of our investigation. 
And under this head we will classify gesture, voice, 
expression and all that pertains to external delivery. 
We have said that the gesture, tones, etc., represent- 
ed certain mental states or conditions This is evi- 
dent, for these signs or symbols would be nothing in 
themselves if they did not correspond to the in- 
ternal feelings. Behind every gesture or vocal ex- 
pression there is a mental state, a feeling, passion, or 
idea which prompts these signs or symbols. To an- 
alyze these various mental states, to separate an(J 
describe them, to show upon what they depend, 
how they may be excited and accurately portrayed 
in delivery is the kernel of elocutionary instruction, 
since without the stimulation of these mental states 
naturalness in delivery is not attainable. It is be- 
cause of the paramount importance of this side of ex- 
pression which I call the Psychological or Mental, 
that I will devote the greater portion of this book to 
its exposition, I am treading on ground little beaten 



THE BASIS FOR A SYSTEM DISCUSSED. 31 

by the feet of elocutionists and cannot therefore hope 
to find it a subject easy of elucidation. 

The third side of investigation is the Physiological. 
Yocal expression and the mental states, as far as we 
can discover, depend for their manifestation upon 
bodily organs. The mental states, for instance, de- 
pend upon the brain, the nerves which ramify the 
body and upon the vocal organs. Under the Physi- 
cal we will give a concise description of the brain 
and vocal organs and their relation to expression. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL OR MENTAL. 

The elements of power in delivery are the ener- 
getic or passionate activity of the mantal faculties. 
These mental faculties have their appropriate lan- 
guage. This language is easily understood by all 
men, when there is no obstruction in the way. Ob- 
structions are of two kinds — mental or physical. 
The mental state may not be intense or sufficiently 
vivid to prompt the right gesture or vocal sound, or 
the mind may be occupied with a feeling or thought 
different from that which is sought immediately to be 
conveyed. The first is a natural obstruction and 
may spring from the weakness of the faculty itself, 
or from the faintness of the object which-excites it. 
The second is artificial, and arises from the confusion 
incident to the expression of thought and emotion. 
There are certain processes, as for instance, style, 
the choice of words and their grammatical arrange- 
ment, and the appropriate modes of delivery for each 
word, which ought to be performed as sub-processes. 
These, instead of being performed unconsciously, are 
sometimes present to the mind and destroy the activ- 
ity of the feeling about to be expressed. The method 
of instruction necessary to remove these obstructions 



32 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

is twofold. First, the cultivation of the mental states. 
Second, the practical training in the sub-processes ; 
this will include the discipline of the vocal organs 
and all that pertains to the expression of the matter 
of the discourse and its delivery. 

The cultivation of the mental states is the most im- 
portant, and, in order to ascertain the instruments of 
cultivation, we will consider the relation of the hu- 
man mind to expression. The mind depends for its 
manifestation upon the brain and nervous organism. 
In its expression the mind is not a unit, but reveals 
its states of activity through separate organs. These 
organs have a physical seat in the encephalon, or 
brain-mass ; no matter whether they are regarded as 
individual parts or as cerebral centres, they have dis- 
tinct functions. These functions are the same for 
their own organs, and manifest themselves by the 
same language in all men. Hence, when we have as- 
certained the organs, their functions and their lan- 
guage, we can readily ascertain the law of expression. 
For expression, in order to be readable, must be 
a faithful index of the mental state to be conveyed 
to the audience. For example, if the author wishes 
to persuade his audience that he feels indignant 
against a certain measure, he must employ the lan- 
guage necessary to express indignation. On the 
other hand, if he is favorable to the measure he must 
make use of the language which expresses joy. It is 
clear then, that if we can separate each mental state, 
show its nature and its natural language, and the 
process by which each may be induced, we have laid 
the basis for correct elocutionary and oratorical 
training. 

The question which naturally follows is, "Can the 
mind be analyzed?" It can. An analysis, though 



THE BASIS EoR a system discussed. 3S 

not complete and perfect in every respect, has been 
made. This analysis is sufficient for our purpose 
with some important modifications. The present 
Psychological school in its analysis of mind has ad- 
vanced beyond the rudimentary stages of its progeni- 
tor, the metaphysical school, but it owes its enlighten- 
ment mainly to Phrenology, many of whose truths 
it has demonstrated. 

The Phrenological analysis of mind is still the 
most practical. Both schools are each inadequate to 
our purpose, inasmuch as they have not made a full 
analysis of the emotions and passions. It was the 
aim of Phrenology and Psychology to ascertain the 
primitive and genetic faculties of the human consti- 
tution rather than those mental states, which are the 
result, not of the excitement of one elementary 
faculty, but of many. Thus, for instance, Phrenology 
describes the primitive propensity of Destructiveness, 
but it does not fully analyze the compound emotions 
of hatred, revenge, envy, malice and jealousy. It 
has performed the most important and probably the 
most difficult task of carefully separating and describ- 
ing the simple or elementary propensities of the 
human constitution. These propensities are em- 
ployed in expression, and, therefore, a knowledge of 
them is of importance in Elocution, but it must be 
admitted that the complex or compound emotions 
and passions, such as jealousy, fear, terror, courage, 
rage, revenge, ambition, contempt, vanity, love, ad- 
miration, and kindred emotions, are more essentially 
the mental states employed in oratory. It will be our 
endeavor to analyze these complex emotions suf- 
ficiently for our purpose. 

Before proceeding to make the analysis, however, 
we find it necessary to draw distinctions between the 



34 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

mental states or conditions. It has been ascertained 
that all mental states are produced through the 
excitement of the physical organism by external or 
internal causes. Now these excited states are either 
intellectual or emotional. The intellectual states are 
those produced by the stimulation of the intellectual 
faculties. These faculties are divided into two grand 
divisions, the reflective and perceptive ; and their 
states are called ideas, reasonings, conceptions, per- 
ceptions, thoughts, memories, and imaginations. 

The states of mind produced by the propensities 
are called emotions, passions, sentiments, feelings, 
and affections. Sentiment is the term applied to the 
emotion produced by the gentle excitement of one of 
the higher faculties as, for instance, pity is a senti- 
ment produced by the excitement of Benevolence. 

The state of mind produced by a powerful excite- 
ment of a faculty is called a passion, as for instance 
anger or hatred are passions which spring from 
Destructiveness and some wounded propensity, as 
love of Approbation or Self-esteem. 

The intellectual faculties have an important duty 
to perform in oratory. It is their function to collect 
and arrange the matter of a discourse. The import- 
ance of the intellect in oratory will be considered 
more fully hereafter. 

We will now inquire more closely respecting the 
mind's influence upon expression. The highest power 
in expression we have discovered depends upon the 
intensity of the mental state. When this is vigorous 
the expression will be correspondingly vigorous. 
The grandest flights of eloquence are only to be 
achieved by a passionate state of activity of the men- 
tal organs. We should, therefore, endeavor to induce 
this state. This passional activity depends greatly 



THE BASIS FOE A SYSTEM DISCUSSED. 35 

upon the supply of blood to the brain. To keep the 
constitution of body and brain well supplied with the 
vital fluid is a means of mental activity. The brain 
is but one-fortieth of the whole constitution, yet it 
receives one-sixth of all the blood. Good circulation 
of the blood is therefore of importance in inducing 
mental passion. The brain may be charged with the 
vital fluid as a whole, and all the faculties rendered 
correspondingly active ; or particular portions of the 
brain, the organs of individual faculties may be 
stimulated, and thus effect the vigor of expression of 
that faculty. 

When we examine more closely the action of indi- 
vidual faculties, we find they modify greatly the ex~ 
pression. For example in the case of the emotions 
some are depressing and some are exalting. We can 
only account for this peculiar modification, by the sup- 
position that the emotions influence the vital organs, 
to compel them to conform to the urgent demands 
of the mind. Anger for instance is an exalting emo- 
tion, and when excited it not only impels the volun- 
tary organs to act with uncommon energy, but it 
causes the heart to increase the supply of the vital 
fluid to sustain the exertion. Fear, on the other hand, 
is a depressing emotion, its action upon the voluntary 
and vital organs is just the opposite, it deadens the 
will and causes the heart to diminish the supply of 
blood. Now whatever increases or diminishes vital 
and voluntary action has an immediate effect upon 
delivery. The emotions which increase vital action 
also give power to the vocal expression, and to the 
bodily gestures. On the other hand those emotions 
which diminish vital action, also diminish the vocal 
expression. To prove this we have but to observe 
the actions of men under the propensities of Cautious- 



36 ELOCUTION AST) OP.ATOBY. 

ness and Destructiveness, or under Combativeness and 
. on. H>. _*etic is the voice under the 

influence of the Combative emotions, and how rever- 
ential and subdued it is under the emotions of rever- 
ence and fear ? It appears, then, that there is a law 

stiviiy of the mental states, 
and that it depends upon the quantity and quality of 
blood sent I a the brain. When the cerebral circulation 
is quick-. le feelings are roused, the thoughts 

rapid, the volitions more vehement ; great men- 
tal excitement is always accompained by an unusual 

of blood. The whole body is in a state of intense 

ity. and there must be a channel through which 
to pass off this extra vitality or injury to body and brain 
will be the result. . This relief to the over-wrought 

m is sought in expression. The mind under the 
influence of such exhilarating emotions as Joy, 
Laughter. Courage, seeks to unburden itself in ac- 
tions, attitudes of the body, and vocal and facile ex- 

-ions. The primary use of these actions of body 
and voice, Trere probably for constitutional relief, to get 
rid of the extra vitality, but they have become as- 
sociated with the expression of the exhilarating emo- 
:: -.r. - they form an important feature in de- 

livery, 

The same may be said also of the depressing emo- 
tions of grief, remorse, sorrow, and kindred passions 
altho ■; -. (:. the vital action in these states is diminished, 
vet relief is sought through the same channels as the 
exhilarating emotions, that is, through gestures and 

J expression. Thus, for example, in the exhilara- 
ting emotions the vital activity is passed off through 
the violent gestures of the body and the hilarious 
peals of laughter or shouts of joy ; while the depressed 
vital condition which floods the soul with tears, and 



THE BASIS FOE A SYSTEM i-JSCtSSEF. 87 

gloom finds relief in crying, sobbing, weeping-, wring- 
ing of hands, and even in flight. There is, however, 

a broad distinction between these emotions in the di- 
rection of the gestures. In all the exhilarating emo- 
tions, the eyebrows, the eyelids, the nostrils, and the 
angles of the mouth are raised. In the lepressing 

passions it is the reverse. In discontent, for instance. 
the brow is clouded, the nose pecul: and 

the mouth drawn down. Here. then, is a principle 
which when fully unders: ; ; 3 suj ; li s a c ;nvenient 
index tc Lonary expression. If we know the 

language of the exhilarating r assi : as we can : 
not only these but also their opr. : sit s, the depressing, 
for all that is necessary is to induce the opposite 
mental state and assume the ;\ "" :s::e bodily gestnres. 
The knowledge of this principle will also guard 
against error in the expression of the passions even 
if we do not feel them at the time, for if we are fully 
aware that certain attitudes of the body will convey 
an impression of love or fear to an audience, we shall 
be on our guard to assume at least the proper attitude. 
This is perfectly legitimate, and will not lead to arti-* 
nciality ; it is merely the exercise of intelligc 
There are certain boundary hues beyond which ex- 
pression may be just the opposite to that intended, 
and the orator ought to take the necessary precau- 
tion not to overstep these bounds. If the study of 
delivery supplied no other principle than this, it 
would even then confer a valuable aid to the ore:;:'. 
How often have we seen the untrained speaker assume 
just the opposite attitude of body from that of 
sentiment he was endeavoring to impress upon his 
audience, and but for the spoken word we should 
never have been able to tell whether he was in love 
with his cause or against it. The careless, useless. 



38 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

indifferent, and even antagonistic attitudes and vocal 
inflections which some speakers, and even those who 
pride themselves on having a natural delivery, assume, 
is destructive of true and accurate expression. The 
only remedy in such cases is careful study and appli- 
cation of the principle we have just laid down, a prin- 
ciple which will enable the orator and actor "to over- 
step not the modesty of nature." 

THE MODES OF ACTIVITY OF THE VARIOUS FACUL- 
TIES. 

We have said that the mind manifests itself through 
a plurality of organs. Many of these organs have 
been discovered and properly located. According to 
the size and quality of texture of these organs will be 
the power and activity of their function. This law 
of size and quality is of importance in Elocutionary 
training ; for if power in delivery depends upon the 
passionate activity of the mental states, the best way 
to develop that power is to increase the size and qual- 
ity of the mental organs. These can be developed in 
the same way as we train any power of the human 
constitution by exercise. We are all agreed that the 
muscles of the body can be made more pliable, flexi- 
ble, and increased in size by exercise ; but we seem 
to lose sight of the fact that mental powers are just 
as capable of training. The intellect is developed at 
schools and colleges, but those who are fully persuaded 
that the intellect can be cultivated forget that the 
emotional nature, which is essential to the highest 
flights of oratory, is also capable of cultivation. We 
will endeavor to point out the method of develop- 
ment in a chapter on the cultivation of the emotions. 

The truth which we wish to show at present is the 



THE BASIS FOR A SYSTEM DISCUSSED. 39 

fact that each mental faculty has its own appropriate 
function. Every faculty of the human constitution 
has a tendency to act. The vigor of this activity de- 
pends upon three conditions : 1. The size and quality 
of the cerebral organ. 2. The intensity of the excite- 
ment induced by the external or internal stimulus 
which may be an idea or object. 3. Upon the capac- 
ity of the bodily organs to express this activity. All 
of these three conditions of activity are capable of 
development by systematic oratorical training. The 
first depends upon natural endowment and careful 
cultivation. The second upon the quality of the ob- 
ject or idea, and its capacity to stimulate or draw out 
the function of the faculty to which it appeals. If 
the object is external, the stimulus will be weak or 
powerful, according to the constitutional sensibility, 
which is also capable of cultivation. The third is 
also within the range of development. If certain at- 
titudes of body and vocal intonations are expressive 
of the intensity and activity of mental powers, and if 
each faculty has its own peculiar gestures, then the 
bodily and vocal organs should be trained in order 
to make them flexible and responsive to each of the 
mental states. 

Before proceeding to point out the method of cul- 
tivation of the mental faculties, we will look a little 
closer at their modes of activity. We know that the 
mental states are originated by cerebral stimulation. 
The beginning then of an emotion, passion, or thought, 
is due to cerebral excitement. Now the moment this 
excitement takes place we recognize in consciousness 
the quality of the mental state produced ; we can tell 
whether it is an emotion of Joy, Love, Hatred, Fear, or 
a simple intellectual image, idea, or thought. We can 
also recognize whether the mental state is one of pain 



40 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

or pleasure, and even the degree or quantity, that is 
whether the emotion is passionate excitemental, or 
simple activity. These effects are shown by the 
greater or less violence of the vital organs, for the 
mental states are mysteriously connected in their 
manifestation with the vital and vocal organs. It may 
be well to point out the three states of activity of the 
mental faculties. First, the Simple or almost dormant 
state. The activity of the faculty in this case is, hardly 
recognizable, although it may be presumed that there 
is always present a simple or elementary activity 
produced by the perpetual circulation of the blood. 
This gentle activity is manifested by the careful and 
watchful disposition which renders every faculty 
prompt to respond to the objects that excite it when 
presented to them. In this simple state of activity 
the features and vocal expression are not striking or 
marked, but rather in a transitional state ready to 
assume any mode of expression which may arise. 
This is the state which should possess the orator or 
actor when he first begins his address. 

The second is the Excitemental or the emotional 
state. The feeling becomes evident to consciousness 
and clamors for expression. It is elocutionary in an 
eminent degree. The emotions always manifest them- 
selves even before the will is active. The counten- 
ance, the eye, the nose, the mouth, the lips, the hand, 
the voice betray the emotional state within. 

They reveal the inner character. They speak the 
troubled soul. They are not cunning, sly, deceiving 
signs, but honest symbols of an honest mental state. 

The third state may be called the Passionate condi- 
tion. In this state the emotion becomes violent, the 
eye no longer is merely expressive of a gentle feeling 
but rolls in fiery frenzy, the brows are strangely con- 



THE BASIS FOR A SYSTEM DISCUSSED. 41 

tracted or elevated, the bosom swells, the heart beats 
rapidly, the whole body dilates, the motion of the 
limbs and arms are violent. The will is powerless to 
restrain until the first paroxism of passion is over. 
These two last mental states, the excitemental and the 
passional, are of the utmost importance in oratorical 
expression. They are not under the control of the 
will but arise whenever those objects or ideas which 
excite them are present. 

These simple, excitemental, and passional mental 
states obey certain laws of procedure. These laws 
may be stated thus: — (1.) The Preparatory movements. 
The emotions and passions produce certain states or 
conditions of the bodily organs which prepare them 
for the expression of the mental state. The only in- 
terference to this expression is the influence of the 
will which may act as a check to the violence of the 
expression or may give it full scope. Before we 
have resolved to act the emotion arises and takes pos- 
session of the vital organs and the organs of expres- 
sion and prepares them for action The flush which 
mantles the cheeks, the rush of blood to the limbs, 
the fire which flashes from the eyes, the erect atti- 
tude, the defiant swing of the body, the heavy stride, 
the clenched fist, the rapid action of the vital organs 
are but preparatory movements induced by the com- 
bative propensity, and if the will decides for action, 
or if the passion becomes uncontrollable through in- 
creased excitement then these preparatory movements 
launch themselves into activity and expression. 

(2). These passions influence the will. They are 
the chief agents which prompt to action. They may 
act independently of the will, but they always produce 
increased activity in the will. 

(3). Each of these emotions and passions always 



42 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

produce the same effect upon the voluntary and in- 
voluntary organs of the body. The effect upon the 
mind and body is always the same for the same emo- 
tion or passion. Hence each mental state can be 
separated and described, its expression observed and 
the method of its cultivation pointed out. We shall 
attempt to describe and classify each mental state in 
a subsequent chapter. In the meantime we must try 
by an examination of the personal qualities of an or- 
ator to discover the requisites and natural gifts neces- 
sary to success in oratory. 



CHAPTER II. 



PERSONAL ORATORY. 

ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTER, QUALIFICATIONS AND NATU- 
RAL GIFTS OF THE ORATOR. 

In order to discover the personal qualifications nec- 
essary to success in oratory, let us take an orator as 
he presents himself before an audience, we forming 
members of that audience, and endeavor to study him 
as he appears to us. Our speaker is a popular one, 
an orator of a national or world-wide reputation ; this 
is the best model for study. As he steps upon the 
platform, the confused murmer of whispering pleasan- 
try subsides, and all eyes are directed toward this 
one man. What a terrible situation for a human 
being ; ten thousand faces, all glowing with various 
passions, emotions, and thoughts, are turned toward 
him. Innumerable eyes are flashing a steady mag- 
netic -flame into his eyes. It is no wonder that the 
orator seems to tremble ; his first sentences are husky, 
inarticulate, and tremulous. A strange, excitable 
dread takes possession of his whole being, and his 
body shrinks backs, as if wishing to escape from this 
vast army of men and women. What shall he do ? 
Retire in disgrace, or attempt and fail? How can he, 
a man possessing the same number of faculties, intel- 
(43) 



44 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

lectual, emotional, and animal, as each individual 
before him, ever address a great assembly of men and 
women, all burning with passions, some the very op- 
posite to those he wishes to kindle ? It is a dreadful 
position for any mortal. Very few have been suc- 
cessful. You can count great men in poetry, philoso- 
phy, science, and other departments, and fill a book 
with them, but great popular orators can be told off 
on your ten fingers. To face an audience of men 
and women, and sway them by the power of eloquent 
speech for an hour or two, is a triumph far greater 
than the conquest of a kingdom. 

The few who have accomplished this glorious vic- 
tory are found scattered on the pages of history, and 
it would be an easy task for the memory to enumer- 
ate them. But let us see, our orator is one of the suc- 
cessful ones. He passes the Rubicon. That excita- 
bility which almost over-powered his intellect now 
becomes the electric fire by which he will send his 
message into the palpitating hearts of the multitude 
of men and women before him. Those eyes and 
faces which seemed at first so dreadful, so threatening 
in their aspect, will become the source of his greatest 
power. As each gleam of pathos, sublimity, wit and 
burning logic, lights up his eyes, plays on his coun- 
tenance, and radiates from every atom of his body, so 
does a responsive flame glow on the faces of the 
men and women before him. Thus sympathy is 
awakened, a bond of communication is established 
and that which the orator at first feared has become 
the momentous power of his success. 

As we listen to him, we feel indescribable thrills 
run through and through our frames. Sometimes 
they pass along the heart like an icy hand, sometimes 



¥ 



CHAEACTEE AND NATUEAL GIFTS. 45 

they awaken to fury irresistible, and the cry is, 
"Grasp the shield, draw the sword " ; "Let us fight 
for the principles which the speaker advocates" ; 
"Let us march against Phillip !" Then, again, we 
are entranced, charmed, and held spell-bound by 
some beautiful, mysterious, or wonderful illustration 
or description. Perhaps wit plays with all the irre- 
sistible charm of humor, mirth, and drollery ; and 
laughter and applause follow each other in rapid suc- 
cession. And the more we respond to these emo- 
tions, stimulated by the orator, the more powerful 
and higher his flights of eloquence become. 

Now, the question for us to solve is, upon what does 
all this depend ? There is evidently a current of 
sympathy between the audience and the speaker. 
What is the law of this current, and the conditions of 
its manifestation ? It depends upon the three con- 
ditions which I have mentioned as an introduction to 
this subject. They are, psychological, physiological, 
and physiognomical. 

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL. 

This embraces all the qualities of mind necessary 
to an orator. In the old scheme of metaphysical an- 
alysis we would probably find the essentials of oratory 
enumerated as the gift of the imagination, a copious 
supply of words acquired by habits of study, the ca- 
pacity to arrange in an orderly way the various heads 
of a speech. Their analysis would consist, at any 
rate, of the enumeration of some general powers ; but 
few specific elements would be mentioned, and no 
attempt would be made to connect them with 
brain or body. In our analysis, we shall attempt to 
specify the psychological conditions necessary to or- 
atory. There are individual differences in orators, 



46 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

but there are general principles which are common 
to all. First, a bond of sympathy must be established 
between the speaker and the listener in order that the 
orator may accomplish his purpose which is the chief 
end of oratory. 

Second, special endowment ; there is a genius for 
oratory as there is for poetry, philosophy and science. 
The law of sympathy with respect to this principle is 
relative ; its activity depends upon the constitutional 
endowment of the speaker and the listener. If the 
orator and his audience have a number of faculties 
in common, there will be a psychological current of 
sympathy set in motion whenever these elements are 
awakened in the speaker and the listener. Now, this 
current will be more powerful and overwhelming in 
its sweep, the more numerous the constitutional ele- 
ments aroused, and according to the depth and bril- 
liancy of the ideas and phraseology which appeal to 
them. This is why one kind of oratory has a power- 
ful effect upon some, and another kind has an equal 
effect upon others. The national or popular orator 
has the power to awaken the greatest number of con- 
stitutional elements, which are possessed in common, 
or to intensify a f ew'of the more energetic and elevated 
with frenzied passion. Orators who could sway all 
classes of people have been few. The great popular 
orators, like Demosthenes and Cicero in ancient, and 
Chatam, "Whitefield, and Chalmers in modern times, 
are not numerous. The reason is partly psychological 
and partly circumstantial. There must be genius, and 
there must be opportunity." All great orators have ap- 
peared in great crisis of the world's history ; there 
must be an outlet for brilliant oratorical bursts com- 
mensurate with their power and splendor. 

The psychological gifts are these ; The highest sue- 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 47 

cess in oratory depends upon rare constitutional en- 
dowments ; large mental powers in the highest state 
of activity ; a vigorous endowment of the emotional 
nature; a poetic imagination, and a command of 
choice phraseology, Large mental powers depend 
upon the size, quality, texture, and health of the 
brain. All the organs must not only be large, but 
they must be in a passional state of activity. No 
metaphysical coolness, no abstract logic, no dry form- 
ulas, and commonplace phraseology can thrill an au- 
dience. Metaphysical reasoning must become con- 
crete, logic must shine in the volcanic flames of the 
emotions, and words must be instinct with life and 
power. 

There are two ways of gaining truth ; through meta- 
physical and intricate logical processes or by poetic 
and imaginative intuition. Great philosophers liko 
Kant and Aristotle reached truth by the former ; 
eminent poets like Shakespeare and Milton, by the 
latter process. Truth is just as true discovered by 
Shakespeare as by Kant. But truth in the hands of 
Shakespeare is more persuasive, because dipped 
in the fountains whence well up the life-springs of 
action, the fountains of emotion and imagination. 
The orator should present truth more after the man- 
ner of the poet than the metaphysician. 

We have said that the orator should, if possible, 
possess all the faculties in the human constitution 
in a high state of power. It is right here that ora- 
tory divides off into branches ; here is where the 
streams separate, and different styles of oratory be- 
come manifest. Some orators possess a few faculties 
in a state of great power and activity, as compared 
with other elements in their make-up, and this leads 
to a peculiar style of oratory. For example, an ora- 



48 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tor may be all emotional ; the whole of his discourse 
may be addressed to the feelings, pure and simple ; 
he will wield great power over those who have a simi- 
lar endowment ; and in a great metropolis will draw 
around him a large audience, but he can never be a 
national orator ; he never can be like Chalmers, De- 
mosthenes, or Lord Chatam. This emotional class of 
orators may divide again into as many branches as 
there are different elementray powers manifesting 
themselves in their oratory. Thus, for example, an 
orator under the influence of the organ of Benevo- 
lence will have a sympathetic style of delivery. His 
illustration will be tinged more or less with pathos. 
If we add wit, sublimity, and ideality, then we have 
an orator like John B. Gough, who thrills his audience 
with stories of pathos, humor, and heroism. Add to 
these other powers, and you make an approach to the 
model orator. The mere effusions, expletives, and 
exclamations, such as are sometimes heard among 
itinerant preachers, ought not to be dignified with the 
name of oratory. They are not bursts of genuine 
passion ; they are mere sentimentality, the product, 
not of a highly emotional nature, but of a low state of 
development of the feelings. The endeavor of all 
such is to stimulate feeling which is only skin deep 
in their nature ; hence they express themselves in 
howls and exclamations. This kind of oratory has 
been called the oratory of the feelings, but it is no 
such thing, it is rather a superficial show of the gen- 
uine article. Feelings which are deep and power- 
fully active are passionate, not sentimental ; they ex- 
press themselves in real pictures rather than empty 
expletives. Wrapped around the gleaming trellis- 
work of the imagination, they glow with all the lux- 
uriance of reality. 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 49 

It would be a long- task to enumerate all the styles 
of oratory. It is sufficient to remember that psycho- 
logical difference leads to variety of style. While we 
assert that every faculty of the human constitution 
can be skillfully employed in oratory, there are some 
faculties without which no one can be a great orator. 
There must be the gift of speech, the organ of Lan- 
guage, as the phrenologists call it. Men have indeed 
influenced an audience who were not fluent in speech; 
but we do not call that eloquence. Their power was 
not in their oratory, but probably in the truth or effi- 
cacy of their statement, or in the importance of the 
cause for which they spoke. Genuine oratory de- 
mands a skillful use of choice words, harmonious in 
sound and radiant with feeling. Strong, pointed 
phraseology, interspersed with stately periods, is a 
powerful auxiliary in arousing men to action. All 
the popular orators have possessed this power. Their 
diction is marvelous for sweetness, music, and grand- 
eur. A good endowment of language, then, is essen- 
tial to an orator. 

Imagination and originality of conception are the 
next psychological requisites. The metaphysical 
schools simply mention Imagination in their analysis 
as a general power ; it is therefore of value only so 
far as it is a convenient term easy of use ; but if we 
accept the best classification of the mind which has 
as yet appeared, that of Phrenology, we will have a 
more satisfactory and practical definition of imagin- 
ation. Imagination, pure and simple, is the ability 
to call up an image or representation of an object, idea, 
or event. It is that faculty which makes old truths live 
over again, which develops and clothes with living 
beauty the dry bones of intellectual conceptions. But 
imagination is not one and indivisible ; it is not a 



50 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

primitive faculty, it is a general conception like mem- 
ory, emotion, etc. Imagination in a general sense, is 
a property of every faculty in the human mind. Ben- 
evolence, for instance, in a state of activity can con- 
ceive of suffering so as to inspire the intellect to sup- 
ply materials for a pathetic story. So Veneration, 
Hope, Spirituality, Amativeness, all have their im- 
aginative side, and according to the development and 
passional activity of these organs will be the intensity 
of the imaginative picture which they present. Such 
is imagination in general ; the higher functions of 
imagination — the sublime and beautiful — depend 
upon the passional activity of Sublimity and Ideality. 
Ideality gives that exquisite feeling of harmony and 
proportion ; it detects and rejoices in the beautiful. 
An indescribable thrill of pleasure seems to radiate 
from all artistic works of perfection. Ideality is, 
therefore, an element in perfection of diction and 
beauty of ideas. But the most important organ in 
high and elevated oratory is Sublimity. All popular 
orators have possessed it well-developed. It seems 
almost absolutely necessary to popular oratory. When 
we conceive of the magnitude of the occasion when 
an orator must address thousands of men and women ; 
when anything commonplace would be unsuitable for 
such a vast assembly ; when, if the speaker wishes to 
preserve his own identity, his power over so vast and 
threatening a multitude, his language, his phraseology, 
his ideas must be correspondingly magnificent. Sub- 
limity clothes all with power. Images and illustra- 
tions subjected to its influence burn with volcanic in- 
tensity. It has power to lift up and sway an audi- 
ence as no other sentiment or intellectual faculty can. 
Besides imparting grandeur and magnitude to all the 
emotional nature, it draws the intellectual concep- 



CHAKACTEK AND NATtJEAL GIFTS. 51 

tions within its furnace and imparts to them a giant 
strength. Hence there have been orators who, in the 
utterance of what would have been otherwise cool in- 
tellectual statements, have seemed to swell with irre- 
sistible power. This was because the conceptions 
were so heightened in magnitude and power by sub- 
limity that they lost for the present their common- 
place intellectuality. 

If we wish to prove this, we have but to take up 
the speeches of Demosthenes and Chatham, and the 
sermons of the great Scottish preacher — Thomas 
Chalmers. Reason in Demosthenes is not common- 
place ; the strong elements are seized upon and sub- 
limity exaggerates their proportions. It is the faculty 
which delights in strong contrasts. The Psalms of 
David and the book of Job, the prophets Isaiah, and 
Ezekiel, and the book of Revelation are examples. 
It abounds in Shakespeare, Homer, and Milton. It 
forms one-third of prose, two-thirds of poetry, and 
four-fifths of genuine oratory. I have no space for 
illustration, but here is a comparison which has rooted 
and blossomed in the fertile soil of sublimity. The 
orator is speaking of the corruptions of the Roman 
Empire, and is seeking for a comparison by which to 
represent the death of her national life, the effect of 
those corruptions. He compares the utter desolation 
of Roman nationality to an extinct volcano. 

"My friends, have you ever stood above the crater 
of a volcano when she has spouted forth her burning 
lava and gazed far down into her hissing womb, void 
of all save murky darkness ? Such was Rome — one 
vast volcano drained of all her fire and life ; the lurid 
light of her dying ashes served only to reveal the vile 
filth spread in heaps around ; she grows detested in 



52 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

the sight of nations ; her doom is drawing nigh ; the 
cold hand of death is on her." 

Now, an equivalent statement of this by the intel- 
lectual faculties would be a tame affair. It would be 
simply that Rome, because of her corruptions of mor- 
als and general political disorganization, lost her na- 
tional spirit and so fell a prey to her enemies. But 
how faint the impression made upon an audience by 
the latter expression. 

I have said that sublimity was one of the most use- 
ful faculities in oratory, inasmuch as it made even 
logic and metaphysics live in a dazzling atmosphere. 
Chalmers' astronomical sermons are illustrative of this. 
Probably no other orator ever submitted such deep 
intellectual thought to a mixed audience as Thomas 
Chalmers. Yet he was listened to with rapt attention 
because of the enthusiasm of his delivery and the 
magnitude of his expressions. In his portrait the 
organs of Sublimity and Ideality are both large. 
These organs, Ideality and Sublimity, prompt the 
intellect to express ideas concretely, not abstractly. 
This is a high element in oratory. There never has 
been a great orator, and probably there never can 
be one, who does not manifest this quality. All the 
great preachers have the faculty of picture-painting 
of ideas more or less. The tameness of the ordinary 
X-)reacher is the result in part of a lack of this quality 
of the imagination. They gather a few common- 
place thoughts and string them together by means 
of stale phraseology. The whole may have the ap- 
pearance of condensed thought, but it is old thought 
in an old garb. Sunday after Sunday people are 
bored with this stuff, and there is no relief. The 
clergyman they had before preached in the same 
way, and should they get a new clergyman he would 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 53 

probably do the same thing, so there is no escape ex- 
cept to cut prayers as often as possible. 

The absence of imagination and originality in a 
minister is almost fatal to his success as a preacher, 
because the substantial facts of Christianity are old, 
and church-people have heard them over and over 
again. What is wanted in such circumstances is to 
produce truth in a new way, in new phraseology, with 
new illustrations, and new turns of thought, make it 
glow with the light of the imagination. 

I will just quote one extract from the greatest ora- 
tor since Demosthenes — Lord Chatham, as an illus- 
tration of the difference between common-place state- 
ment and that produced by the imagination : "The 
poorest man may, in his cottage, bid defiance to all 
the forces of the crown. It may be frail — its roof 
may shake — the wind may blow through it — the 
storm may enter — the rain may enter — but the king 
of England cannot enter ! — all his forces dare not cross 
the threshold of the ruined tenement." 

The common intellectual statement would be sim- 
ply that the king of England has no power to enter 
a peasant's cottage without that peasant's permission. 
The latter some would regard as strong because more 
brief, and the speaker would get credit for condensa- 
tion ; but is it not a poor, insipid statement, compared 
with the pathos and sublimity of that of England's 
greatest orator ? 

The other qualification, originality, is partly a prod- 
uct of the emotional nature and partly an intellectual 
endowment. The capacity to grasp truth in an orig- 
inal way, to clothe it with new phraseology and turns 
of thought, is an indication of true genius. A speaker 
may be influential who collects and gathers facts and 
presents them before an audience as matters of in- 



54 Elocution and oratory. 

formation without original reflection, but lie never 
can wield the destinies of "nations, or systems of 
Iruth, or the fate of great movements. It is great 
orators like O'Connell, Chatham, Fox,Mirabeau, and 
Luther, who can shake thrones, demolish old abuses, 
and build upon their ruins a new and more noble 
edifice, burning with the original fire of their own age. 
I have said that the power of originality was partly a 
quality of intellect and partly a product of the emo- 
tional nature. The intellectual faculty most concerned 
is Comparison, whose function is to detect similarities 
in ideas and things. Old truths become new by plac- 
ing them in new relations, or by discovering their 
similiarity to other truths. In doing this there is a 
process of comparison going on, an object is pre- 
sented by the observation, and the faculty of Com- 
parison detects a likeness or common resemblance 
between that object and some other object or idea. 
This flash of identification is an element in original- 
ity. All great inventors and scientific investigators 
have made their discoveries in this way. It was by 
a stroke of the identifying faculty that Newton saw 
the law of gravitation in the falling apple, and that 
Watt beheld the steam engine in the white coils of the 
vapor issuing from the mouth of the kettle. 

Comparison extends through every department of 
knowledge — in botany, chemistry, philosophy, and 
poetry. In oratory it is almost indispensable. The 
Saviour of mankind — the greatest orator the world 
has ever seen — seldom spoke without a comparison. 
"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard 
seed." "It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a 
needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of 
heaven." The prodigal son, the man traveling into 
a far country, the foolish virgins and their oilless 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 8S 

lamps, and many other stretches of similarity testify to 
the usefulness of comparison in oratory. If we ex- 
amine the great sermons of distinguished preachers,'* 
we will find them full of metaphors, similes, and 
stretches of the identifying faculty. Take, for in- 
stance, Rev. Phillips Brooks, the great Boston 
preacher, and you will find examples of this power. 
His famous sermon, "The Candle of the Lord," is a 
stretch of the identifying faculty from beginning to 
end. Man under the image of a candle is presented 
in all his relations to God. The power of similarity 
may express itself in simple illustrations and com- 
parisons, or it may, by the aid of the other faculties, 
especially Sublimity and Ideality, carry out a grand 
image under which truth gleams in all its relation- 
ships. Brooks' sermons just spoken of is an example 
of this kind. The image of a candle runs through 
the whole discourse, supported by beauty and grand- 
eur of statement. It is one of those rare sermons 
which will rank its author among the greatest of ora- 
tors. 

I cannot help remarking in passing that Phillips 
Brooks is a good illustration of all I have been incul- 
cating under this subject, and, as he is within the 
reach of investigation, it may be well to mention 
some of his characteristics as an orator. He has a 
large head and strong physical development, but of 
that I will speak under the division of the physiolog- 
ical side of man. The most perceptible qualities in his 
oratory are fervor, grandeur, and vivacity. His fer- 
vor springs from his active brain and emotional tem- 
perament. The grandeur, dignity, and overwhelming 
impressiveness of his thoughts arise from the condi- 
tion we spoke of before ; they have budded and fruit- 
blown in the rich soil of sublimity. His vivacity 



56 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

springs from the intense excitability of his whole con- 
stitution ; every faculty is not only active, but alive 
with passion. He does not merely think truth, he 
feels it. This is because he has all the psychological 
requisites enumerateddn this essay. He has also well- 
developed physiological and physiognomical charac- 
teristics, but of these we will speak hereafter. 

PHYSIOLOGICAL SIDE. 

We come now to examine our model orator from 
the physiological side. First, then, there is a tem- 
perament of body more favorable to oratory than any 
other. The vital-mental temperament is the best. 
I do not maintain that all orators have had this tem- 
perament — there are abundant examples of the men- 
tal-motive, motive-mental, and vital-motive. But 
the highest flights of oratory are compatible with the 
vital-mental temperament. There should be an equal 
balance of the temperaments ; no one should be ex- 
tremely weak ; but if any predominate, it should be 
the vital. The enormous strain of excitability, the 
intense mental effort, the dread of failure, the almost 
superhuman courage necessary to face a sea of faces, 
the tremendous vocal exertions, all eat and drink up 
the vital fluids of life. 

The vital constitution is naturally excitable ; it is 
the genuine emotional nature ; it can bear heavy 
strains of passion-feeling, because passion is its food, 
and emotion its pastime. The vital temperament is 
characterized by great lung power and good diges- 
tion. There is an abundance of good hard flesh, and 
the blood is full, vigorous, and active. The great 
, breathing power which comes from the large develop- 
ment of the organs of inspiration and expr**at ; on is 
highly essential to vocal delivery. The vital temper- 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 



57 



ament is vivacious ; every member of the body is 
active, every movement of the hands, eyes, and face 
is expressive. It is, in short, the Elocution temper- 
ament. Since all the vital fluids are vigorous and 
highly charged with the elixir of life, there is a con- 




Daniel Webstee. 

stant stream of magnetism passing from this temper- 
ament through the voice, eye, and gesticulations. 
This temperament, therefore, gives an orator a mys- 
terious power over his audience. What is called 
magnetism is merely a current of sympathetic feel- 
ing developed between the speaker and the audience. 



58 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

The orator who can awaken emotion in himself can 
awaken similar emotion in the listener, if the means 
of communication are good ; and these are generally 
of a high nature in the vital temperament. It is the 
nature of good oratory to glow with feeling at all 
times, and the vital temperament is most susceptible 
to influences, external and internal, which produce 
feeling. The personal appearance of an orator of 
this kind of temperament is attractive and command- 
ing. An audience is powerfully impressed by a well- 
developed physical form. The vital temperament 
has, as one of its great elements, the function of re- 
productivity ; to supply material for brain, muscle, 
flesh, and nerve, is its great office. There is, there- 
fore, a fullness and repletion of all the elements of 
the body and brain in this temperament. This is of 
the greatest importance to the orator, not only in 
supporting the enormous strain of nerve and muscle 
to which he is subjected, but it gives that equipoise 
of body, that feeling of ease and repose to gesticula- 
tion and voice delivery which is called "reserve 
power." 

An orator with this temperament performs all the 
functions of speaking with ease and deliberation. If 
we pass in review the great orators of ancient and 
modern times, we will find that the vital-mental tem- 
perament prevails in nearly all. Bossuet, Chalmers, 
Whitefield, Chatham, Fox, "Webster, and Henry Ward 
Beecher are prominent examples. 

It is also the constitution of great actors, because 

the vocal powers are generally well developed in this 

temperament. 

THE YOCAL POWERS. 

The capacity to deliver well a speech or discourse 
depends upon the vocal organs. In an essay like this 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. ;9 

I cannot go into physiological details respecting die 
vocal organs. But I may state in passing that vocal- 
ity depends upon the muscles of the abdomen, the 
capacity of the chest, the resonant power of the 
larynx, pharynx, and mouth. According to the size 
of these organs, all other things being equal, depends 
the power of elocution. Each of these organs has 
its appropriate function in voice formation. No 
system of elocution can be successful if the function 
of each has not been carefully distinguished. It is 
the predominating power of one or more of the 
organs of voice over others which makes the differ- 
ence in delivery. A large larynx, for instance, will 
give that deep, bell-like tone which is a characteristic 
of some speakers. Elocution teachers should not at- 
tempt to destroy this tone in their pupils, if it is 
natural, and they should not force it upon others if 
not natural to them ; it is because this principle is 
overlooked by elocutionists that artificiality is often- 
times the result of elocutionary training. The train- 
ing of the voice is of the utmost importance in speak- 
ing. The great national orators have had good vocal 
powers. Even if a speaker is endowed with a good 
voice it is necessary that he should keep it flexible 
and sympathetic by elocutionary training. Many of 
the great orators have had naturally good voices, but 
they were diligent in training them. This training 
however, should be conducted on scientific principles. 
There is method in everything. The various systems 
of elocution which have as yet appeared are defec- 
tive in at least one principle, and that principle is a 
very vital one. Complete success cannot dawn upon 
elocutionary training until this principle is complied 
with. Training of the voice is all very well, but after 
the voice is trained the element of expression should 



60 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

be studied. Now, all systems of elocution so far, fall 
short of a complete, satisfactory, and philosophical 
exposition of the principle of expression, because they 
have not studied man's constitution. True, accurate, 
and perfect expression depends upon how far the ele- 
ments of that expression represents the faculties of 
the human constitution. In other words, a philosoph- 
ical analysis of the human constitution should be at 
the basis of elocutionary training. This principle, 
when complied with, is productive of the highest re- 
sults, as I could illustrate from my own experience. 
When we know, for instance, the natural language 
either of voice, gesture, or any one of the mental 
powers of the human constitution, we have a double 
method of procedure by which we can train that 
power to express itself in oratory. We can stir up 
the internal feeling appropriate to that power by 
bringing before it images, words, or actions which 
appeal to that emotion, or we can simply assume the 
language of the emotion without arousing the internal 
feeling. 

There are present in all good delivery two charac- 
teristics : symbol and spirit, shell and soul, sign and 
the thing signified. The most important of these is 
the spirit or soul. The under-current of all impressive 
oratory is the soul or spirit. Now, this is precisely 
what elocutionists nearly always neglect ; they are so 
eager to teach the sign or symbol of a feeling that 
they do not take means to arouse the feeling itself. 
The soul or spirit of delivery cannot be thoroughly 
trained without a knowledge of the human constitu- 
tion. To know the powers intellectual and emotional 
of the constitution and their various states of activ- 
ity from a low to a high degree of passion is of the 
utmost importance in the cultivation of those powers 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 61 

for the purpose of oratory. Elocutionists are wont 
to bring forward as proof of the efficacy of elocution- 
ary training the practice of great orators ; but the 
method of these orators has not been the same as 
those promulgated by modern systems of elocution. 
Their practice was more psychological. They took 
selections of orations or poems the sentiment of 
which was capable of kindling their emotions ; and 
stirred by the internal feeling thus awakened, they 
delivered themselves. Hence their delivery was nat- 
ural not artificial. They did not assume gestures, 
and tones of voice, but strove to kindle the internal 
feeling which would prompt the right gestures and 
vocal intonation expressive of that feeling. We do 
not disparage elocutionary training, but we do think 
that a more natural method could be devised capable 
of arriving at more satisfactory results. The basis 
of this method should be an analysis of the human 
constitution. A thorough exposition of all the emo- 
tions, passions, sentiments, and propensities should 
be made, and the gestures and tones of each clearly 
pointed out. The endeavor should be not merely to 
assume the language of the emotion, but to awaken 
the emotion itself. The basis of all good elocution 
is a real reproduction of nature. Bellowing and 
howling, dignified by name of oratory, have, I hope, 
disappeared. The natural language of emotions and 
propensities when carefully studied will give the key 
to a graceful delivery. 

We will not delay on this subject any longer ; but 
there is one remark which we wish to make in pass- 
ing. The vocal organs differ in size and quality in 
the different temperaments. The practice, therefore, 
of elocutionists in training every pupil exactly alike 
is a practice unphilosophical and ruinous to good de- 



62 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

livery. Many a young man's delivery has been com- 
pletely spoiled by being drilled in a way which was 
suitable only for some other temperament. The form 
and size of the vocal organs should also guide the 
training. While it is wise to preserve individual char- 
acteristics of voice, yet a harmonious cultivation of 
all the vocal organs should be the aim of Elocution. 
We have seen, then, that the vocal organs are a 
great desideratum in the physiological endowment of 
the orator. A systematic study of the vocal organs 
should be made a part of the science 
of mind and character. This de- 
partment I hope to see more fully 
developed by x^hrenologists. The 
vocal organs are so important in or- 
atory, music, elocution, and acting, 
that a delineation of the character 
by artists in their profession cannot 
be complete and perfect without a 
knowledge of these organs. The 
John Bright. success of a musician or orator de- 
pends as much upon his vocal as upon his psychologi- 
cal endowments. Besides, the various tones and in- 
flections of voice are indicative of character, and 
ought, therefore, to be systematically studied. 

It is easy to prove how necessary vocal power has 
been to the orator. The most distinguished orators 
on record have had good voices. The marvelous in- 
tonations of Demosthenes and Cicero still linger 
among the hills of Greece and Eome. Whitefield's 
wonderful voice representation, with its almost super- 
human power, flexibility, and intensity, is still in the 
memory of man. St. Chrysostom is yet remembered 
as" John of the golden mouth, "and Nestor, as " the 
clear-toned orator of the Pylians." 




CHABACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 63 

THE PHYSIOGNOMICAL SIDE. 

This will not detain us long. Physiognomy is the 
judging of things by their appearance. The Orator 
as He presents Himself to us, has a personale which 
is striking. We can generally tell whether a man is 
a great orator or not by his phyisiognomy. The ora- 
torical type is marked. It is generally characterized 
by the vital-mental temperament, or by a constitution 
equally balanced. The face is expressive. Large lan- 
guage fills out the eye ; facile gestures leave their 
impressions on the countenance. The forehead is 
generally large and wide at the upper lateral region, 
denoting intellect, and especially the development of 
the organs of Wit, Ideality, and Sublimity. The pro- 
pensities and sentiments are generally large, which 
give intensity and fervor to delivery. We can study 
his character from his gestures and vocal intonations. 

In this analysis of the oratorical type, I have briefly 
sketched the prominent psychological, physiological 
and physiognomical indications. To sum up all in a 
smaller compass, the oratorical type depends upon a 
rare combination of the powers of mind and body. 
The orator should have a large brain, active and pas- 
sionate ; a high, excitable, or emotional nature, sup- 
ported by a strong constitution. There should be a 
predominance of the faculties of Language, Wit, 
Ideality, and Sublimity. This intellect must be strong 
and vigorous, with a predominance of the organ of 
Comparison. He stands midway between the poet 
and the philosopher ; he must have all the poet's 
feeling, with the logic of the philosopher ; but he 
differs from both in that his powers must be displayed 
in a moment. He has not only to feel thought and 
emotion, but he has to propel them into his audience. 



L- 



64 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

The propulsive power of an orator is the distinguish- 
ing feature between oratory and literature. A man 
may write out brilliant thoughts upon paper, but to 
deliver them is quite another affair. 

Orators differ according to the degree in which 
they possess these powers. These varieties of ora- 
torical type can be analyzed and their basis pointed 
out. 

In support of the various principles laid down in 
this essay, we have but to take up the history of all 
the great orators, ancient and modern, and compare 
their history with their constitutional development. 
The sculptured heads and shoulders of seven great 
orators ornament the upper part of the outside walls 
of Sanders' Theater at Harvard ; they are the heads 
of Demosthenes, Cicero, St. Chrysostom, Bossuet, 
Chatham, Burke, and Webster. In all these heads 
the faculties we have enumerated are largely devel- 
oped ; and if the shoulders are a just representation 
of the originals, they evidently had what we have 
called the oratorical temperament. But if the ob- 
jector to this method of investigation is fearful lest 
these sculptured heads may not be exact reproduc- 
tions of the originals, then we will take orators in our 
own neighborhood. 

Phillips Brooks is, probably, the most popular 
preacher in Boston. His whole constitutional build 
complies with our principles. He has the oratorical 
temperament, large brain power, with a predominance 
of the organs of Language, Comparison, and Sublim- 
ity. In his sermons he displays a profound analyti- 
cal skill ; he seizes upon a particular conception of a 
text, and carries that conception throughout his whole 
discourse. No weak, puerile descriptions disgrace his 
sermons ; there is profundity of thought with depth 



CHARACTER AND NATURAL GIFTS. 65 

of feeling*. Everything glows with sublimity, 
even his very delivery ; it is a grand torrent from be- 
ginning to end. He sometimes wearies, because in 
delivery there is too much of the grand. His voice 
has not the silvery clearness nor penetrating quality 
of Wendell Phillips', nor the compass, flexibility, 
volume, and the expressive intonation of Henry Ward 
Beecher's, but it has a depth and grandeur of reson- 
ance, an intensity of enunciation, an animated and ex- 
pressive utterance, a natural and sympathetic tone, 
and, when vitalized and charged at the cerebral bat- 
teries of his large brain, sways an audience at will 
with an overwhelming current of magnetism He has 
propulsive power in abundance, and his great physi- 
cal stature gives him complete control over his au- 
dience, which makes up for his defective voice. 

Let us now take another illustration of a different 
stamp. Henry Ward Beecher, if not the greatest 
preacher of the age, has been, at least, the most popu- 
lar orator in America. He complies in every parti- 
cular with the principles herein laid down. He has 
almost every faculty in the human constitution large- 
ly developed. Language is so large as to be almost 
a deformity. Wit, Ideality, and Sublimity are also 
large, and his analytical power is immense. His emo- 
tional nature is intensely active and passionate. There 
is original thought combined with intense feeling, 
not surpassed by any orator. He is very large in the 
faculty of Human Nature, reads the characters of 
men like a book, and the activity of this faculty he 
has increased by the study of -Phrenology. His 
knowledge of the human constitution is one element 
of his success. He preaches to men because he knows 
just what is in men. His scope of preaching is wider 
than any preacher of our age, and perhaps of any 



66 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

age, with the exception of St. Chrysostom. He is 
practical, logical, and doctrinal ; but the practical 
element is more emphasized by him. Full of illustra- 
tions and original thought, he never wearies. On 
account of his independent thought, he differs in 
many points from his orthodox btethren ; but the 
views which he entertains resemble those of the new 
school of German theology. On account of his fertile 
imagination he never seems to get exhausted. His 
sermons are always full of new material and new 
illustrations. If these qualities are not connected with 
his large physiological development, then with what 
are they connected ? His physiological and physiog- 
nomical developments are equally remarkable. His 
vocal powers are wonderful. He has a graceful and 
natural delivery, pitched on a conversational basis, 
but capable of the grandest flight of oratory. In 
every respect, Brooks and Beecher fulfill the requis- 
ites for oratory laid down in this essay. 

I think it hardly necessary to enumerate more ; 
but, if further examples are wanting, we have but to 
turn to England for them. There we find Spurgeon 
and John Bright, both examples of the vital tempera- 
ment. We shall now consider some of the requisites 
of oratory more in detail. 



CHAPTEE III. 



ANALYSIS, CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SEN- 
TIMENT, EMOTIONS, AND PASSIONS, CONSIDERED IN 
THEIR THREEFOLD NATURE, MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND 
EXPRESSIONAL. 

The human constitution is made up of certain in- 
stincts, propensities, or genetic faculties, which, in 
different degrees of excitement, give rise to peculiar 
mental conditions called emotions, passions, and sen- 
timents. It would be an error in classification to 
assign to each emotion and passion, a separate seat 
in brain or body, or to regard them as genetic faculties. 
Such a system of a'assification would not only lead 
to confusion, but would be unnatural, and yet modern 
scientists seem inclined in that direction. They do 
not make a sharp distinction between greater im- 
pulses or propensities, and emotions which are only 
states of excitement of these propensities. The truth 
is that the number of our genetic propensities and fac- 
ulties are not many but few. And from these the num- 
erous host of mental and bodily states of pleasure and 
pain, called emotions, sentiments, passions, affections, 
and appetites arise. There is not in the human con- 
(67) 



68 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

stitution a primitive instinct for each of the emotions 
of awe, fear, terror, horror, but a propensity of Cau- 
tiousness, which in its various states of excitement 
gives rise to all these emotions. Awe is a simple 
condition, fear is an emotional, and terror a passional 
state of Cautiousness. Pugnacity, love of strife, con- 
tention and martial ardor are not each separate pro- 
pensities, but only modes of excitement of some primi- 
tive faculty, which for want of a better name we call 
Combativeness. And so on with all the emotions 
and passions ; they may all be traced to the excite- 
ment of a few genetic propensities. Hence the best 
classification for our purpose is to set forth the gene- 
tic faculties of the human constitution, and to group 
around each their own particular emotions and pas- 
sions. 

This we shall attempt to do in the classification 
which follows. 

GROUPS OF THE EMOTIONS AND PASSIONS. 



LOVE EMOTIONS AND PASSIONS. 

The instincts or propensities which in their various 
states of excitement give rise to these emotions are 
Amativeness, Conjugality, Philoprogenitiveness, Ad- 
hesiveness, Benevolence, Inhabitiveness, and Vita- 
tiveness. They are divided into four subdivisons : 

1. Family or Affectional class, including : Connubial 
love or sexual passion. Conjugal love or the love of 
one. Maternal love, Paternal love, and Filial love. 

2. Social or Society class, including : Friendship, 
Benevolence, Sympathy, Pity or Compassion, Grati- 
tude, Mercy or Forgiveness, Sociability or love of So- 
ciety. 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 69 

3. Patriotic class ; Love of Country, Love of Lib- 
erty, Love of Home. 

4. Self -Preservative class : Love of Life. 

CHAEACTEBISTICS OF THE LOVE EMOTIONS AND PASSIONS. 

1. Mental. — The mental states induced by the love- 
propensities are pleasurable in their nature. The 
feeling* which takes possession of the mind is buoy- 
ant, happy and vigorous There is no pain, except 
when an outlet for love is denied or when its fervor 
is unreturned, then the happy feeling gives place 
to one of sorrow. 

2. Physiological. — The effect of the love emotions 
upon the physical nature is exhilarating. The act- 
ivity of all the vital functions is increased. The heart 
beats more vigorously, the blood flows more freely, 
and the nervous organism is rendered more suscept- 
ible and alive to every sensible object. In unrequit- 
ed or disappointed love these conditions are reversed. 

3. The Expressional. — The language corresponding 
with the nature of the Mental and Physical conditions 
is indicative of happiness and buoyancy. 

The muscles of the face expand, the eyes are open 
and beam with tender light, or are slightly raised, 
the eyebrows uncontracted and arched. The cheeks 
curve a little backward from the mouth. The mouth 
is a little open, the lips humid, red, and somewhat 
wrinkled. The movement of the chin is outward and 
sideways. The head reclines a little to one side or 
moves backward and forward in the direction of the 
amatory, conjugal or adhesive instinct. The arms are 
thrown outward from the body in a circular movement 
toward the loved object and thrown back again with 
embracing movements. The chest heaves, the whole 
body expands outward, the step is light and buoyant. 



70 ELOCUTION AND OEATORY. 

These emotions are important in oratory. An ora- 
tor who can awaken love in the minds of his hearers 
will find the task of persuasion easy of accomplish- 
ment, because the natural bond of sympathy between 
the speaker and his audience is powerfully influenced 
by love. Our sympathy is more easily awakened by 
the favorable than by the unfavorable sentiments. 
This may often be observed in the theater. We ad- 
mire the skill displayed by a great tragedian in the 
delineation of such characters as Kichard, Macbeth, 
Iago, and Glenalvon, but we do not sympathize with 
them. Our sympathy, however, is stirred when the 
same actors personate the character of Hamlet, 
Young Norval, Brutus, Julius Csesar, or King Lear, 
The reason is, that in the characters of the former the 
unfavorable passions hold sway, while in the latter the 
favorable sentiments are most prominent. 

Connubial love or sexual passion is one of the most 
powerful of the love emotions. It was probably the 
earliest in our constitution, and the first social pro- 
pensity. It has laid the basis of the family circle and 
the social state. Love first allured man to get out of 
himself into some other self. The earliest employ- 
ment of speech was in the cause of love. While 
man's appetites and selfish propensities held full sway, 
love could only flutter on the ground like a wingless 
bird, but she conquered at last and introduced the 
reign of social affection. Tenderness is an element 
in sexual love. There is a difference of personal 
conformation which makes the one sex a variety, as it 
were, to the other, possessing a distinct order of at- 
tractions. The greatest affinities grow out of the 
stronger contrasts, provided the contrasts are not of 
hostile qualities, but supplemental. The one person 
must not love what the other hates, but the two must 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 



71 



mutually supply each others' felt deficiencies. In 
this respect there seems to be such a supply between 
men and women. 

Language. — The voice is the chief expressive instru- 
ment of the love passion. The male animals charm 
their mates by the soft tones of the voice. The billing 
and cooing of the pigeon is his love song. Birds sing 




Loye in the Face. 

for their mates. Other animals produce peculiar musi- 
cal sounds with their vocal organs which are love calls. 
Song is the appropriate language of love, and the 
more musical the tones of the voice become the more 
truly do they express love. 

"When lovers meet their hearts beat quickly ; their 



72 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

breathing is hurried and their faces flush. Tnt- ian^ 
guage varies according to the intensity of the pas- 
sion and the constitution of the lovers, some persons 
being more demonstrative than others. The motions 
of the chin indicate love. Man throws his chin side- 
wise and woman forward toward the loved object. 
The head reclines to one side, the eyes gently roll 
toward the object, and their expression is lively, 
sparkling, and coquettish, the eyelids droop, the 
mouth a little open, with the lips slightly protruded. 
The breath may be drawn at times quickly, at other 
times slowly, with now and then a low sigh. The 
body is composed and the hands fall to the sides 
There is an inward sense of melting and languor pro- 
portionate to the capacity of the admired one to ex- 
cite love and the sensibility of the lover. There is a 
tendency to cling and embrace, to touch and caress, 
kiss and hug the adored one. This emotion is also 
susceptible of the most violent passions. 

EXAMPLES OF LOVE EMOTIONS. 



Juliet Awaiting the Nijese. 
Jul. Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, 
Towards Phoebus 'lodging : such a waggoner 
As Phreton would whip you to the west, 
And bring in cloudy night immediately. 
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night, 
That rude day's eyes may wink, and Romeo 
Leap to these arms, untalk'd of and unseen. — 
Lovers can see to do their amorous rites 
By their own beauties ; or, if love be blind, 
It best agrees with night. Come, civil night, 
Thou sober-suited matron, all in black, 
And learn me how to lose a winning match, 
Play'd for a pair of stainless maidenhoods : 
Hood my unmann'd blood, bating in my cheeks, 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 73 

With thy black mantle ; till strange love, grown bold, 

Think true love acted simple modesty. 

Come, night ; come. Romeo ; come thou day in night ; 

For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night 

Whiter than new snow on a raven's back. 

Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-browed night, 

Give me my Romeo ; and, when he shall die, 

Take him and cut him out in little stars, 

And he will make the face of heaven so fine 

That all the world will be in love with night 

And pay no worship to the garish sun. 

O, I have bought the mansion of a love, 

But not possess'd it, and though I am sold, 

Not yet enjoy'd ; so tedious is this day 

As is the night before .some festival 

To an impatient child who hath new robes 

And may not wear them. O, here comes my nurse, 

And she brings news ; and every tongue that speaks 

But Romeo's name speaks heavenly eloquence. 



Romeo's Love fob Juliet. 
Rom. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright ! 
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night 
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear ; 
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear ! 
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, 
As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. 
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, 
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. 
Did my heart love till now ? forswear it sight ! 
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night. 

Rom. [to Juliet] If I profane with my unworthiest hand 

This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this : 
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand 

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. 
Jul. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much. 

Which mannerly devotion shows in this ; 
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, 

And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss. 



74 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Rom. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers, too? 
Jul. Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. 
Rom. O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do ; 

Then pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. 
Jul. Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake. 
Rom. Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. 

Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged. 
Jul. Then have my lips the sin that they have took. 
Rom. Sin from my lips ? O trespass sweetly urged ! 

Give me my sin again. 
Jul. You kiss by the book. 



Conjugal love prompts to the selection of a mate 
for life. It varies in intensity according to the con- 
stitution of each individual. There are persons who 
seem indifferent to the charms of all others of the op- 
posite sex except one. They select one from a world 
of beauty, and often-times that one is not the most 
beautiful, to adore and worship even better than their 
own life. Connubial or Amative love is not so seclu- 
sive ; the well formed and beautiful are the object of 
its regard, but conjugal love seeks only one, without 
regard to form or beauty. Hence we often witness 
a man and woman unite in matrimony who do not 
seem at all equally matched. We cannot see why 
that man should have chosen such a woman, or why 
that woman should have chosen such a man. The 
matches are a mystery ; no one can reveal the hidden 
recesses of the human heart, but the Creator has wisely 
implanted in both sexes an instinct or feeling of 
union for life. Of all the beautiful creatures God 
had made there was not found a help-mate for man. 
There were companions enough, but no mate. So 
God created woman and brought her unto Adam to 
be a help-mate for him. And in whatever light we 
may regard this strange story, we must admit that 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 75 

there is a tendency in both sexes to select a partner 
for life. The young heart pants to find its mate and, 
when found, clings to it even after death. As an or- 
atorical emotion, conjugal love has great power. 
It may be necessary for the speaker to allude to the 
constancy and self-sacrificing love of those joined in 
holy matrimony ; to draw illustrations from that 
condition of life, or depict the beauty of conjugal 
love ; to portray the agony of unrequited affection, 
or the suffering of lone widowhood. 

Language. — The language of conjugal love is the 
same as that of the other love eniotions, except that it is 
more exclusive, being addressed to one in preference 
to all. The signs, gestures and tones of voice will there- 
fore be more intense. The ardent lover will be wholly 
wrapped up in the object of his love. He will be ob- 
livious to all passing events, and the adored one will 
be in all his thoughts. As in love there is no reason, 
every argument used to dissuade the lover from his all 
engrossing passion will fall upon his ear like discord- 
ant music, which irritates, but does not soothe the 
troubled breast. If he is in the presence of the loved 
one he is jealous of intrusion, he would rather be 
alone with her. Conjugal love is more passionate 
than friendship or filial love ; hence friends and 
parents will be sacrificed if they stand in its way. All 
the gestures of this emotion are passionate ; the grasp 
of the hand, the clinging embrace, the fond, adoring 
looks, the rushing together of lips, the placing of cheek 
to cheek, the petting and caressing, are all warm, in- 
tense and even violent. The voice is soft and adoring, 
pleading and persuasive ; and as every favorable emo- 
tion in the heart of the lover is aroused to aid the 
suit of love, the tone varies in inflection and em- 
phasis, now tender and pathetic, at times threatening, 



76 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

sometimes full of joy, hilarity; then again sad and 
plaintive, and especially if love's overtures are re- 
pulsed. Its notes range through every grade of the 
scale from the low whisper to the high, shrill cry of 
joy. The intense whisper is very prevalent especially 
when lovers are uttering the secrets of their heart or 
when they dread discovery, or have met clandes- 
tinely. When true love runs smoothly then all the 
gestures of body and modulations of voice are buoy- 
ant, joyful and hilarious, the laugh is merry, the step 
quick, active, and confident, the countenance open, 
the eyes sparkle, and the whole soul seems to be 
bursting its fleshy covering in the wild struggle to 
express its ardent aspirations. When the loved one 
is absent the lover is restless, gloomy and perplexed, 
and knows not what to do or which way to turn, but 
still amid all his wanderings, he ever keeps in the 
vicinity of the places made sacred by the presence 
of the loved one. Reason may tell him that there 
is no earthly use in lingering around those places, 
but in love there is no reason. The heart ever turos 
to its idol in defiance of the intellect. In disappoint- 
ed love, or unrequited affection, or when the lover is 
dead, the language has all the characteristics of sor- 
row. The head droops, the motions of the body are 
languid, the actions are purposeless, and all the at- 
titudes betray a want of spirit, of ambition, and con- 
centration. The voice is weak, plaintive, and whin- 
ing, the breath is drawn in deep sighs, and given 
out with prolonged sobs. In the case of unrequited 
love, there may be displayed, especially in the pres- 
ence of the contemner, hatred and loathing scorn, by 
the rejected lover. This springs from a revulsion of 
feeling. The passions of hatred, envy, and joy also 
are closely allied to love ; and not unfrequently he 




CHAKLES SUMNEE. 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 77 

who loves the most tenderly will sheath the dagger of 
vengeance and jealousy in the heart that with respon- 
sive thrills caused his to quiver in agony of joy. 
Witness Othello mad with jealousy, kissing and fran- 
tically embracing Desdemona, and yet stopping short 
with the cruel pillow, the breath which but a few 
moments ago was redolent with praise and love of 
himself. When the loved one is dead there is a dis- 
position to give up all pleasure and even the desire 
fco live. The face becomes pale, the body weak, the 
limbs totter, and the nerves are irritable and sensi- 
tive to every sound ; and at last the unfortunate 
victim sinks into the grave unableto survive his great 
sorrow. 

EXAMPLES OF CONJUGAL LOVE. 



Scene V. Capulefs orchard. 
Enter Romeo and Juliet above at the window. 

Jul. Wilt thou be gone ? it is not yet near day : 
It was the nightingale, and not the lark, 
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear ; 
Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate-tree : 
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale. 

Rom. It was the lark, the herald of the* morn, 
No nightingale : look, love, what envious streaks 
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east : 
Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day 
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. 
I must be gone and live, or stay and die. 

Jul. Yon light is not day-light, I know it, I : 
It is some meteor that the sun exhales, 
To be to thee this night a torch-bearer, 
And light thee on thy way to Mantua : 
Therefore stay yet ; thou needest not be gone. 

Rom. Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death ; 
I am content, so thou wilt have it so. 
I'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye. 



78 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow ; 
Nor that is not the lark whose notes do beat 
The vaulty heaven so high above our heads : 
I have more care to stay than will to go : 
Come, death, and welcome ! Juliet wills it so. 
How is't, my soul ? let's talk ; it is not day. 

Jul. It is, it is ; hie hence, be gone, away ! 
It is the lark that sings so out of tune, 
Straining harsh discords and unpleasant sharps. 
Some say the lark makes sweet division ; 
This doth not so, for she divideth us : 
Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes ; 
O, now I would they had changed voices too ! 
Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray, 
Hunting thee hence with hunt's-up to the day. 
O, now be gone ; more light and light it grows. 

Rom. More light and light ; more dark and dark our woes I 

Enter Nurse, to the chamber. 

Nurse. Madam ! 

Jul. Nurse ? 

Nurse. Your lady mother is coming to your cnamber. 
The day is broke ; be wary, look about. {Exit. 

Jul. Then, window, let day in, and let life out. 

Rom. Farewell, farewell ! one kiss, and I'll descend. 

[He goes down. 

Jul. Art thou gone so ? love, lord, ay, husband, friend ! 
I must hear from thee every day in the hour, 
For in a minute there are many days : 
O, by this count I shall be much in years 
Ere I again behold my Romeo ! 

Rom. Farewell ! 
I will omit no opportunity 
That may convey my greetings, love, to thee. 

Jul. O, think'st thou we shall ever meet again ? 

Rom. I doubt it not ; and all these woe3 shall serve 
For sweet discourses in our time to come. 

Jul. O God, I have an ill-divining soul ! 
Methinks I see thee, now thou art below, 
As one dead in the bottom of a tomb : 
Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 79 

Rom. And trust me, love, in my eyes so do you : 
Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu ! [Exit.] 

Jul. O, fortune ! all men call thee fickle : 
If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him 
That is renown' d for faith ? Be fickle, fortune ; 
For then, I hope, thou wilt not keep him long, 
But send him back. 

EXAMPLES OF LOYE EMOTIONS. 



CONJUGAL LOYE. 

Desdemona's Love foe Othello. 

Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him, 
My downright violence and storm of fortunes 
May trumpet to the world : my heart's subdued 
Even to the very quality of my lord : 
I saw OthePo's visage in his mind, 
And to his honors and his valiant parts 
Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate. 
So that, dear lords, if I be left behind, 
A moth of peace, and he go to the war, 
The rights for which I love him are bereft me, 
And I a heavy interim shall support 
By his dear absence. Let me go with him. 



Othello's Jealous Resolve. 

If I do prove her haggard, 

Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings, 
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind, 
To prey at fortune. Haply, for I am black 
And have not those soft parts of conversation 
That chamberers have, or for I am declined 
Into the vale of years — yet that's not much — 
She's gone. I am abused ; and my relief 
Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage, 
That we can call these delicate creatures ours, 
And not their appetites ! I had rather be a toad, 
And live upon the vapor of a dungeon, 
Than keep a corner in the thing I love 



80 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

For others; uses. Yet, 'tis the plague of great ones; 
'Tis destiny, unshunnable, like death : 
Even then this forked plague is fated to us 
When we do quicken. 



LOVE AND JEALOUSY. 
Iago Raises Othello's Jealousy. 

Oth. Excellent wretch ! Perdition catch my soul, 
But I do love thee ! and when I love thee not, 
Chaos is come again. 

Iago. My noble lord, — 

Oth. What dost thou say, Iago ? 

Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady, 
Know of your love ? 

Oth. He did, from first to last : why dost thou ask ? 

Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought. 
No further harm. 

Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago ? 

Iago. I did not think he had been acquainted with her. 

Oth, O, yes ; and went between us very oft. 

Iago. Indeed ! 

Oth. Indeed ! ay, indeed : discern'st thou aught in that ? 
Is he not honest ? 

Iago. Honest, my lord I 

Oth. Honest ! ay, honest 

Iago. My lord, for aught I know. 

Oth. What dost thou think ? 

Iago. Think, my lord ! 

Oth. . Think, my lord ! 

By heaven, he echoes me, 
As if there were some monster in his thought 
Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something. 
I heard thee say even now, thou likedst not that, 
When Cassio left my wife : what didst not like ? 
And when I told thee he was of my counsel 
In my whole course of wooing, thou criedst " Indeed !" 
And didst contract and purse thy brow together, 
As if thou hast shut up in thy brain 
Some horrible conceit : if thou dost love me, 
Show me thy thought. 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 81 

Iago. O beware my lord of jealousy : 

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock 
The meat it feeds on ; that cuckold lives in bliss 
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger ; 
But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er 
Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves! 

Oth. O misery ! 

Iago. Poor and content is rich and rich enough, 
But riches fineless is as poor as winter 
To him that ever fears he shall be poor. 
Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend 
From jealousy ! 

Oth. Why, why is this ? 

Think'st thou I'll make a life of jealousy; 
To follow still the changes of the moon 
With fresh suspicions ? No ; to be once in doubt 
Is once to be resolved : exehange me for a goat, 
When I shall turn the business of my soul 
To such exsufflicate and blown surmises, 
Matching thy inference. 



Maternal love. — This is also a powerful emotion. 
It is a social sentiment, since it is the basis of the 
family relation. The love objects are children who by 
their very nature are capable of exciting this affection 
in mothers. The extreme helplessness of infants and 
children excite the tender emotion which is an ele- 
ment in this sentiment. But maternal love also 
manifests itself in love for grown-up sons and 
daughters. 

The language of maternal love is soft and endear- 
ing. The voice is soothing and petting. Cares- 
sing and kissing the child are the chief signs of ma- 
ternal love. 

LADY RANDOLPH WEEPS FOE HER LOST CHILD. 

Wretch that I am ! Alas ! why am I so ? 

At every happy parent I repine ! 

How blest the mother of young gallant Norval ! 



82 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

She for a living husband bore her pains, 
And heard him bless her when a man was born ; 
She nurs'd her smiling infant on her breast ; 
Tended the child, and rear'd the pleasing boy: 
She, with affection's triumph, saw the youth 




In grace and comeliness surpass his peers : 
Whilst I to a dead husband bore a son, 
And to the roaring waters gave my child. 



Paternal lore. — This emotion is a social senti- 
ment of the same order as the maternal. It belongs 
to the family circle. It has the same elements as the 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 83 

maternal, with less of the personal contact. The 
ideal feeling is no less strong. 
King Lear is a good example of paternal love. 

capulet's gkief on account of his daughter's death. 
Cap. Ha! let me see her: but, alas! she's cold; 
Her blood is settled, and her joints are stiff; 
Life and these lips have long been separated : 
Death lies on her like an untimely frost 
Upon the sweetest flower of all the field. 

Filial love. — Also belongs to the family group . The 
love of children for their parents is oftentimes very- 
intense. The language is the same as the other fam- 
ily affections, except that humility and veneration 
color the expression. 

coedelia, [watching over Tier father, after his exposure to the tempest.'] 
O my dear father ! — Restoration, hang 
Thy medicine on my lips ; and let this kiss 
Repair those violent harms, that my two sisters 
Have in thy reverence made ! 

Had you not been their father, these white flakes 
Had challenged pity of them. Was this a face 
To be exposed against the warring winds ? 
To stand against the deep, dread-bolted thunder ? 
In the most terrible and nimble stroke 
Of quick, cross lightning ? — to watch, (poor perdu), 
With this thin helm ! Mine enemy's dog 
Though he had bit me, should have stood that night 
Against my fire ; And wast thou fain, poor father, 
To hovel thee with swine, and rogues forlorn, 
In short and musty straw ? Alack, alack ! 
'Tis wonder that thy life and wits, at once, 
Had not concluded all ! 



Friendship. — This is also a social emotion, but it 
chooses its love objects from a wider circle. It is the 
society-loving propensity. It delights to love and be 



84 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

loved. There are some persons who are so much at- 
tached to friends that they feel unhappy when de- 
prived of their company. It is the gregarious in- 
stinct. The cause of attachment may be the admira- 
tion and esteem felt for the characters of others, or it 
may be that our Mends have qualities of disposition 
which attract us. Friendship may also have its basis 
in relations of mutual benefits, but true friendship 
displays itself in unselfish love of companions from 
whom no reward is expected. There are various 
grades of friendship, from the most disinterested af- 
fection to the most selfish. 

Language. — The expression on the countenance is 
open, the muscles of the face expand, the lips wrinkle. 
There is a disposition for persons to cling to each other 
in fond embraces. Children in whom this emotion is 
active will put their heads together and throw their 
arms round each other. The natures of persons differ, 
some are impulsive and some reserved. The impul- 
sive natures feel an involuntary disposition to embrace 
the friend. The grasp and shake of the hand is firm 
and full of ardor. Men embrace each other, but do 
not kiss. Women embrace and kiss. Relationship 
and close friendship prompts men to regard the other 
sex as sisters and they may show their friendship by 
embracing and kissing. Friendship without these 
signs seems cold and formal, and we judge of our 
companion's love mainly by the vigor of his external 
gestures. 

When friends unexpectedly meet each other the 
gestures are likely to be very demonstrative. The 
expression is rapidly changeful. Joy, eagerness, and 
doubt display themselves upon such an occasion. 
Suppose a friend who has been long absent or thought 
to be dead suddenly meets another friend. The atti- 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 85 

tudes will be complex, the body thrown back, the face 
expresses doubt, the hands are eagerly extended ; and 
these gestures may follow each other in rapid succes- 
sion. In the representation of this and other emo- 
tions a good effect is produced by the exercise of a 
little voluntary control of the bodily attitudes. As- 
sume an attitude of suspense or doubt ; meanwhile 
the actor's or orator's feelings are seemingly in a state 
of internal excitement, and the audience by a law of 
sympathy catches the same feeling. Then the actor, as 
if by nature's impulse, throws himself on the bosom 
of his friend. The voice varies in the intensity of its 
inflections and emphasis, according to the strength of 
the emotion. The key is generally high ; quality, 
sonorous, smooth ; utterance animated and exuberant. 

EXAMPLE OF FRIENDSHIP. 



Antont [before the Conspirators.] 

That I did love thee, Caesar, oh ! 't is true : 
If then tlry spirit look upon us now, 
Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death, 
To see thy Antony making his peace, 
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes, 
Most noble ! in the presenee of thy corse ? 
Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds, 
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood, 
It would become me better, than to close 
In terms of friendship with thine enemies. 
Pardon me, Julius ! — Here wast thou bayed, brave hart, 
Here didst thou fall ; and here thy hunters stand, 
Signed in thy spoil, and crimsoned in thy lethe. 
O world ! thou wast the forest to this hart ; 
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee ! 
How like a deer, stricken by many princes, 
Dost thou here lie ! 



86 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

SOCIABILITY. 
Sociability springs from the primitive instincts of 
Adhesiveness or Friendship, and Benevolence. It 
is expanded friendship and restricted benevolence. 
Our love of friends instead of being restricted to a 
few individuals of like taste and disposition seeks a 
great number ; and Benevolence overlooks their faults 
and inspires a tender regard for those whom friend- 
ship has selected, but does not become liberal enough 
to include all, but only those which society would 
regard as fitted for social clubs. Sociability is there- 
fore a very important feeling in oratory. Men can 
be touched in their social instincts. And they will 
perform many an act of kindness on account of social 
spirit which they would hardly do through any other 
influence. The expression of the countenance is 
frank, open, and the eye beams tenderly upon the 
object, the broad muscles which circle round the 
mouth, draw the corners of the mouth back- 
ward, causing slightly curved wrinkles or furrows 
in the cheeks outwardly from the corners of the mouth. 
The language of the emotion of Sociability is general 
and specific. It consists of the language of friend- 
ship and benevolence. A social man is kind and con- 
siderate, and all his actions are performed with the 
object of increasing the happiness of his friends. 
Little deeds of kindness, polished manners, polite 
phrases, looks and words of sympathy, all indicate 
the emotion of sociability. A genuine host will never 
be so rude as to wound the honor of any of his guests, 
or to make them feel uncomfortable. He will receive 
all with a hearty welcome, whatever their station 
may be, and in giving introductions he will neglect 
none. With kind words for all he will readily adapt 
himself to the nature of each one, and listen to their 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 87 

remarks with sympathetic attention. Of course in 
the delineation of character by an actor or orator, the 
individual traits of the host will have to be made 
prominent as well as his social spirit. Thus, for in- 
stance, some men are impulsive, everything they do, 
is done with warmth and energy, they shake hands 
with hearty good will, and the "glad to see you" 
has a truthful ring. "Good bye" and "call again" 
are spoken with pathos and meaning. There is the 
expression of real sorrow at parting and a true desire 
that you should come again. Such may be a little 
boisterous or gruff at times but genuine benevolence 
and friendship is the rudder of their words and ac- 
tions. Then again others are intellectual andcold ; their 
actions are not so warm, there is more polish to their 
social traits than reality. And so on, every variety 
of character, though to a certain extent kept down, 
should yet reveal itself while under the influence of 
the emotion of sociability. Yocal expression is full, 
round, clear, joyous and somewhat mirthful. 

EXAMPLE OF SOCIABILITY. 



Captjlet's Welcome to his Guests. 

Cap. Welcome, gentlemen ! ladies that have their toes 
Unplagued with corns will have a bout with you. 
Ah ha, my mistresses ! which of you all 
Will now deny to dance ? she that makes dainty, 
She, I'll swear, hath corns ; am I come near ye now? 
Welcome, gentlemen ! I have seen the day 
That I have worn a visor and could tell 
A whispering tale in a fair lady's' ear, 

****** 

Cap. Nay, gentlemen, prepare uot to be gone ; 
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards. 
Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all : 



88 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

I thank you, honest gentlemen ; good night. 
More torches here ! Come on then, let's to bed. 
Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late : 
I'll to my rest. 



BENEVOLENCE. 
Benevolence is a love emotion wider in its choice 
of objects than any of the love sentiments. It is the 
humanity -loving propensity. All men come within 




A Benevolent Man. 
its tender regard. The helpless, the unfortunate, the 
poor and outcast are its chief objects of affection. 
It is an utterly unselfish emotion and if it had full 
sway would make all men akin. It is the foundation 
of all philanthropic schemes. It builds hospitals for 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 89 

the weak and helpless, asylums for the insane, reform 
prisons for the welfare of the outcasts of society. It 
tenderly watches by the bed of sickness and cares 
even for that which is repulsive. It is the highest 
sentiment in the human heart and will in the end 
transform the world. In its various stages of mani- 
festation it is highly essential to oratory, giving rise 
to all the sentiments that are called pathetic — pity, 
kindness, tenderness, humanity, sympathy, pathos, and 
kindred emotions. 

The language of this emotion is not marked, 
but there is a general openness of expression, the 
features are relaxed, benignant and pleasing. The 
voice is soft and soothing, frank and cheerful, and 
sympathetic. 

EXAMPLE OF BENEVOLENCE. 



Eve Appeals to Adam's Benevolence. 
" Forsake me not thus, Adam : witness heaven 
What love sincere, and reverence in. my heart 
I bear thee, and unweeting have off ended, 
Unhappily deceived : thy suppliant, 
I beg, and clasp thy knees : bereave me not, 
Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid, 
Thy counsel in this uttermost distress, 
My only strength and stay : forlorn of thee 
Whither shall I betake me, where subsist ?" 

— Milton. 



SYMPATHY. 

Sympathy belongs to the benevolent class of emotions. 
It is difficult to analyse it. Sympathy has elements of 
tenderness, love, pity, and seems also to derive aid 
from all the other faculties. Sympathy together with 
all the benevolent emotions has the peculiar power to 
excite tears. The vivid recollection of former scenes of 



90 



ELOCUTION AND ORATOEY. 




pleasure and the long- past happy days readily bring 
tears to the eyes. We seem to 
sympathize with ourselves by 
assuming our former state of 
happiness and comparing- it with 
our present condition. We read- 
ily sympathize with the sorrows 
and trials of imaginary heroes ; 
and even in the cause of success- 
ful love after many trials and de- 
feats we pour out our feeling in 
tears. Sympathy is therefore a 
tearful emotion. Children often Sympathy. 

burst out crying when pitied and who has not felt his 
own eyes suffused with tears at the expression of sym- 
pathy on the part of loving friends. Sympathy is a 
disinterested emotion, it has not a tinge of selfishness. 
Its chief function is to take part in the sorrows of 
others. 

Language — It expresses itself in acts of kindness ; 
self is freely surrendered to aid the object of sym- 
pathy. The countenance is mild, open, and to some 
extent assumes the expression of the emotion which 
is active in the person who is the object of sympathy. 
As he weeps, the sympathizer also weeps. The ges- 
ture and tone of voice also correspond to the emotions 
that excite sympathy. They express sorrow or an- 
ger as the case may be. The general style of elocu- 
tion is subdued, soft, persuasive and plaintive. There 
is a prevalence of the rising innection a 

EXAMPLE OF SYMPATHY. 



Hamlet's Sympathy for Yoeick. 
Ham. Let me see. {Takes the skull, ,] Alas, poor Yorick ! I 
knew liim, Horatio ; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 91 

fancy : he hath borne me on his back a thousand times ; and now, 
how abhorred in my imagination it is ! my gorge rises at it. Here 
hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be 
your gibes now ? your gambols ? your songs ? your flashes of mer- 
riment, that were wont to set the table on a roar ? Not one now, 
to mock your own grinning ? quite chop-fallen ? Now get you to 
my lady's chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to 
this favor she must come ; make her laugh at that. 



AFFECTIONATE SYMPATHY. 

Adam, [to Oelaxdo.] 
11 What ! my young master? — O, my gentle master! 
O my sweet master ! O you memory 
Of old Sir Rowland ! — why, what makes you here ? 
Why are you virtuous ? Why do people love you ? 
And where are you gentle, strong, and valiant? 
Your praise is come too swiftly home before you. 
Oh ! what a world is this, when what is comely 
Envenoms him that bears it!" 



PITY OR COMPASSION. 

Are emotions springing from Benevolence and 
sympathy. What has been said under these emotions 
applies also to this. The most essential difference, 
however, is that pity is sympathy in a restricted 
sense. Sympathy is a feeling which shares another's 
joys as well as sorrows, but pity means sympathy 
with distress. The effective aid to a sufferer springs 
from sympathy proper, and may be accompanied or 
not by tender manifestation. Many persons, little 
given to tears, are highly sympathetic in doing service, 
others bestow pity in the form of tender effusion 
with perhaps little else. 

Language. — Pity shows itself in the countenance and 
bodily actions. The complex gestures of pain and love 
appear on the face, and at times a slight raising and 



92 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

falling of the hand and eyes, the mouth is open, the 
eyebrows inclined downwards and features contracted. 
If the person in misery is present the gestures of the 
compassionate one will be directed toward him, and 
by pitying caresses offer consolation. 

In its passional state, pity brings tears to the eyes 
The voice is soft, semitones and the rising inflection 
prevails 

EXPRESSION OF PITY. 



1. — [The Geave of a Family.] — Gray. 
1 'I wandered on, scarce knowing where I went. 
Till I was seated on an infant's grave. 
Alas ! I knew the little tenant well : 
She was one of a lovely family, 
That oft had clung around me like a wreath 
Of flowers, the fairest of the maiden spring : — 
It was a new-made grave, and the green sod 
Lay loosely on it ; yet affection there 
Had reared the stone, her monument of fame* 
I read the name I loved to hear her lisp : — 
'Twas not alone ; but every name was there, 
That lately echoed through that happy dome. 

"I had been three weeks absent : — in that time 
The merciless destroyer was at work, 
And spared not one of all the infant group. 
The last of all I read the grandsire's name, 
On whose white locks I oft had seen her cheek, 
Like a bright sunbeam on a fleecy cloud, 
Eekindling in his eye the fading lustre, 
Breathing into his heart the glow of youth — 
He died, at eighty, of a broken heart, 
Bereft of all for whom he wished to live." 



COMPASSION FOR THE SUFFERER FROM A SHIPWRECK, 
Miranda [to her father. .] " Oh ! I have suffered 
With those that I saw suffer ! a brave vessel, 
Who had, no doubt, some noble creatures in her, 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 93 

Dashed all to pieces. Oh ! the cry did knock 

Against my very heart ! Poor souls ! they perished. 

Had I been any god of power, I would 

Have sunk the sea within the earth, or ere 

It should the good ship so have swallowed, and 

The freighting souls within her !" 



GRATITUDE. 

The receipt of favors inspires gratitude. The 
foundation is sympathy, the ruling principle the 
sense of justice. Favors conferred upon us by another, 
stir in our bosoms a tender feeling of response, which 
soon fans into the flame of sympathy. If we are not able 
to return the favor conferred, with a like favor or 
equivalent value, we endeavor to make the pleasure 
and aims of the bestower our interest. This emotion 
has an important duty to perform in society. In the 
brotherhoods, and copartnerships of men the egotis- 
tic passions would have full sway but for the senti- 
ment of gratitude. Gratitude is unselfish and prompts 
men to relinquish positions of elevation, in order 
to advance those who have favored them. In its 
more passionate expression it is called generosity. 
The generous man always delights us ; we feel an all 
absorbing interest in a tragedy or story whose heroes 
and heroines are by nature generous. Gratitude 
and generosity are strong elements in oratory. To 
stir the gratitude of men and women in behalf of a 
noble cause, should be the aim of genuine oratory. 
When a speaker has awakened generosity in the 
hearts of the people before him, he has well nigh ac- 
complished his purpose. A generous audience will 
the more readily aid the cause for which he speakp. 



94 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

In order to excite gratitude in his audience the orator 
should display it in himself. 

Language. — The countenance is expressive of com- 
placency ; the attitudes are those of submission and 
love. The right hand open with the fingers spread 
and pressed upon the breast expresses a sincere and 
hearty sense of obligation. All the actions express 
eagerness to sacrifice self considerations, in order to 
serve the benefactor. The voice is persuasive, sub- 
dued inflections and emphasis. The tremor of rever- 
ence softens the energetic tone of joy. The rate of 
utterance is moderate, quality smooth and clear. 

FORGIVENESS AND MERCY. 

Forgiveness or Mercy arises when the activity of 
Benevolence is superior to all other considerations 
even those of justice. The culprit is really deserving 
of censure or punishment, but love declares he ought 
to be forgiven. Forgiviness is a noble emotion and 
is a powerful element in persuasion. The orator who 
manifests a forgiving spirit will add to the success of 
his appeals, since such a spirit will awaken similar 
feelings in his hearers. And much that is objectional 
ble in his manner, plea or cause will be overlooked 
by the feeling of mercy thus awakened. 

Language. — The language of Benevolence and pity 
is strongly marked. The countenance is open, kind, 
and compassionate. The gestures are expressive of 
willingness to forget the past misconduct, and accept 
all overtures that the offending one has to make. The 
head and body may incline forward toward the per- 
son, accompanied by a motion of the right hand, open 
with the palm upwards, and other gestures indicative 
of ready acceptance. The voice is clear, compassion- 
ate and gentle. Moderate time and falling inflections , 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 95 

LOVE OF COUNTRY. 
This feeling is very powerful in the human consti- 
tutioD, It is the feeling- which supports nationality. 
Love of country has made history, for the history of 
a nation is but a narrative of its struggles for liberty 
and national greatness. The emotion of patriotism 
when passionate far transcends all other emotions in 
the sublimity of its achievements. For love of coun- 
try made the Koman magistrate sacrifice his own son 
on the altar of imperial law. It made Sir William 
Wallace an outcast and a wanderer, with a price set 
upon his head, the brand of infamy upon his brow. 
It made Eobert Bruce an exiled king and main- 
tained him for many long years in an unequal war 
with England until his country was redeemed on the 
field of Bannockburn. The same passion of patriotism 
called the people of Scotland from hill and vale and 
laid them prostrate on their knees in the face of over- 
whelming armies to take an oath to liberate their 
country or perish in the attempt. It made 
Switzerland and William Tell famous throughout 
Europe, and gave birth to a great nation in the new 
world. It wrested the Magna Charta from King 
John and hurled the Spanish Armada to the bottom 
of the sea. In a vision of the night when deep 
sleep falleth upon men, it entered the breast of the 
Maid of Orleans, sheathed her in mail, put in her 
hand a sword, and made her a terror to England and 
a redeeming angel to France. It made strong the 
arm of Kosciusco and sharpened the scythes of the 
poor peasantry of Poland. It has caused men to 
sacrifice wives and children and even their own lives, 
and nations to become bankrupt. Poetry, history, 
and romance have drawn their very life from the 
emotions of patriotism. 



96 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Patriotism, although a feeling often manifested, is 
yet difficult of analysis. It is hard to tell whether it 
depends upon a primitive instinct, or is the product 
of a number of faculties. It is supposed to have as 
its root basis the genetic faculty of Inhabitiveness, 
and there does in truth appear, when we analyze it 
closely, an element of love of a particular place or 
locality. It is that particular portion of the globe 
which we call our country, that we love and will fight 
for, and not any other portion ; yet we must admit 
that this single element is not sufficient to account 
for all that appears in the emotion of patriotism. 
The love of liberty, which always accompanies the 
love of country, is clearly not a characteristic of In- 
habitiveness, but it is rather an emotion of Self-Es- 
teem, or the love of independence. It is reasonable 
to suppose, then, that patriotism has these two primi- 
tive instincts as its basis — the love of independence, 
and the love to dwell in particular localities made 
dear to us by association. Add to these the historical 
associations of ages, the stirring memories of the 
warlike deeds of ancestry which appeal to Veneration 
and Combativeness, and you have the most powerful 
factors in the emotion of patriotism. It is not strictly 
our duty to make a philosophical analysis, or to enter 
into discussion of the elements in each emotion in a 
work on Elocution ; for, however valuable such a dis- 
cussion would be as matter of information, it is not 
necessary to a practical knowledge of Oratory, we 
have, therefore, avoided such discussion as much as 
possible. It is, however, important to give such an 
analysis and description of each emotion, as will lead 
the orator to distinguish their essential gestures, so 
that he may enter truly into the the spirit of each in 
reading or speaking. 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 97 

Language. — The expression of love predominates 
in the language of patriotism. Love of country is 
ever present. However great any other nation may 
be the patriot esteems it nothing compared with his 
own. In speaking of his country the patriot uses the 
language of enthusiastic devotion, reverence, and 
loyalty. 

DEVOTION, REVERENCE AND LOYALTY. 

[From Ciceeo's Accusation of Veeees.] 
" O Liberty! — O sound once delightful to every Roman ear! — 
O sacred privilege of Roman citizenship ! — Once sacred, now tram- 
pled upon. But what then ? Is it come to this ? Shall an infe- 
rior magistrate, a governor who holds his whole power of the Ro- 
man people, in a Roman province, within sight of Italy, hind, 
scourge, torture with fire and red hot plates of iron, and at last 
put to the infamous death of the cross, a Roman citizen ? Shall 
neither the cries of innocence expiring in agony, nor the tears of 
pitying spectators, nor the majesty of the Roman commonwealth, 
nor the fear of the justice of his country, restrain the licentious 
and wanton cruelty of a monster, who, in confidence of his riches, 
strikes at the root of liberty, and sets mankind at defiance ?" 



Rienzi, [to the People.] — Miss Mitford. 
Rouse ye, Romans! — Rouse, ye slaves ! 
Have ye brave sons ? Look in the next fierce brawl 
To see them die. Have ye fair daughters ? Look 
To see them live, torn from your arms, distained, 
Dishonored ; and, if ye dare call for justice, 
Be answered by the lash. Yet this is Rome, 
That sat on her seven hills, and from her throne 
Of beauty ruled the world ! Yet we are Romans. 
Why in that elder day, to be a Roman 
"Was greater than a king ! — And once again, — 
Hear me, ye walls that echoed to the tread 
Of either Brutus! — Once again, I swear, 
The eternal city shall be free ! her sons 
Shall walk with princes 1 " 



98 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

LOVE OF HOME. 

This is simply love of country in a restricted sense. 
It is a fondness for a certain locality which has be- 
come dear to us on account of its tender associations. 
We move from an old homestead and make our abode 
in a new one with feelings of regret. A peculiar 
melancholy feeling creeps over us when we relinquish 
our native village or town, and even when we leave 
school or college. And in after life we feel a thrill of 
pleasure in calling up the scenes of our native town, 
or the familiar walks round our house. And we revisit 
such places with an outburst of joy. This emotion as 
well as the emotion of love of country is awakened 
by the associations of the place. And the more sensi- 
tive we are to such associations and the more numer- 
ous they are, the greater will be our patriotism and 
love of home. 

It is hardly necessary to show how successfully an 
orator can employ the emotions of love of country, 
liberty and home in addressing men ; for orators 
have drawn inspiration from these emotions in all 
ages. The orations of Demosthenese and Cicero are 
full of burning appeals to Grecian and Eoman patri- 
otism. Modern parliamentary speech-making consists 
mainly of arguments addressed to the patriotism of 
the people, and from the hustings and stump-platform, 
harangues are delivered daily, full of the platitudes of 
patriotism, love of party and liberty. The orator 
should be judicious in his appeals to these emotions, 
for it is sacriligious to tamper with feelings so noble, 
or to employ them to carry out sordid and selfish 
schemes. It is a shame that political tricksters 
should so degrade the noblest feelings in the human 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 99 

heart, feelings which are the the foundation of national 
life and of individual progress. 

Layiguage. — Like all compound feelings the language 
of patriotism, love of liberty and love of home is diffi- 
cult of analysis. Those emotions are revealed by the 
general conduct of the individual under their influence. 
There is a tendency to magnify one's country, to use 
the words own and my, to speak tenderly and joyfully 
of every event in her history, and to boast of her 
achierements. The language of love plays a promi- 
nent part, and we hail with delight everything that 
redounds to the honor of our country. We spurn 
with jealousy all assertions that other nations are as 
great as our own nation. As other emotions may 
arise to aid love of country, there will be a variety of 
gestures and tones of voice used. In thinking of our 
country's past history, her venerable wars, and great 
warriors, the language of veneration and adoration 
will be visible. When we recall her struggles for 
liberty, the language of independence and resistance 
will lead the way, and we may lift up our hands and 
spread themin delight. The voice is full and sonorous, 
ranges from high to low pitch in quick succession ; 
the quality is clear and ringing, and the inflections 
full and varied. 

CONSPIEACY AND LIBERTY. 
"William Tell [to the mountains, on regaining his liberty.'] 
" Ye crags and peaks, I'm with you once again ! 
I hold to you the hands you first beheld, 
To show they still are free. 

' ' Ye guards of liberty, 
I'm with you once again ! I call to you 
With all my voice ! — I hold my hands to you 
To show they still are free !" 



100 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Bkutus and tlie Conspirators dipping tlieir handkerchiefs in Co&sar's 

blood. 

Bru. Grant that, and then is death a benefit : 
So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged 
His time of fearing death. Stoop, Roman, stoop, 
And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood 
Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords : 
Then walk we forth, even to the market-place, 
And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads, 
Let's all cry "Peace, freedom and liberty!" 

Cas. Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence 
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over 
In states unborn and accents yet unknown ! 

Bru. How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, 
That now on Pompcy's basis lies along 
No worthier than the dust ! 

Cas. So oft as that shall be, 

So often shall the knot of us be call'd 
The men that gave their country liberty. 

Dec. What, shall we forth ? 

Ay, every man aw r ay : 
Brutus shall lead ; and we will grace his heels 
With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. 



LOVE OF LIFE. 

There is in man an instinct which prompts him to 
desire a continued existence. We call the emotion 
which springs from this instinct the love of life. This 
emotion is not displayed by all with equal strength. 
There are some natures which have but little love of 
life, and would willingly relinquish it at any moment ; 
but there are others, and they are the most numerous, 
who cling to life with an almost superhuman grasp. 
They dread death, and can never make up their minds 
to leave this world though full of trouble. When 
sick they struggle against disease and never give up 
hope, even when death is near. This primitive feel- 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 101 

ing, when supported by all that makes life pleasant, 
wealth, fame and honor reaches the passionate state. 
Then there is a clinging to life which is almost un- 
reasonable. All that money, friendship and skill can 
do to preserve life is employed. The most skillful 
physician, the most patient nurse, and the best food 
and medicine are procured. The sick man looks out 
upon the active, bustling world and longs to be well, 
longs eagerly to mingle in the busy scenes of life. 
He cannot bear to die. How dreadful the thought of 
death ! Must I leave the world, with all its beauties 
and pleasures ? Must I leave my wife, and family, 
and friends, my business, my plans and schemes in- 
complete ? Must I leave the sweet banquets of pomp 
and power ? Must I leave all my wealth, all the pro- 
ducts of my skill and labor ? Must I lose this mar- 
velous power of existence, and be remanded back to 
the grave and become but dust and ashes, but food 
for the vilest insects ? Oh, no, that cannot be ; I 
must not and will not die. Stretch every nerve, try 
every means, medicine, pain, torment, determination, 
squander my wealth, reduce me to beggary, but spare 
my life. I cannot part with this intellectual being, 
this glorious triumph of power. While I live all na- 
ture is subject to me. The wind and the waves, sea 
and air, fire and water are but instruments in my 
hands to carry out my deep-laid plans ; and shall I 
perish, conqueror, ruler, despot over nature, and her 
last most marvellous production ? Shall I be forced 
to yield to death ? Oh, no ; I will bear anything but 
death. Let me live, even if I am reduced to poverty, 
or compelled to drag a clanking chain and draw my 
breath from the foulsome damps of a prison cell. 
The poet Gray has beautifully expressed this senti- 



102 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

nient or emotion in his "Elegy Written in a Country 
Church Yard." 

1 ' For who to dumb f orgetfulness a prey, 

This calm, this pleasing being ere resigned 
Left the warm precincts of a cheerful day, 
Nor cast one longing, lingering look behind,, 

" On some fond breast the parting soul relies, 
Some pious drops the closing eye requires, 
E'en from the tomb the voice of nature cries, 
E'en in our ashes live the wonted fires." 

Let the orator strive to enlist this emotion in the 
cause of right. Love of life naturally finds its chief 
consolation in the hope of a future life. When 
earthly objects and earthly scenes fade before the eyes 
of the death-stricken, the love of life can only find 
satisfaction in the promise of eternal existence beyond 
the grave. The orator should paint in glowing colors 
the bliss of that existence as an incentive to virtue. 
The nature of our life in this world may affect our 
existence hereafter. 

The sentiments and emotions which thrill our 
hearts here may be the seeds which will arise out of 
our bodies, where they have been planted while we 
abode on earth, full-blown and bearing fruit tenfold 
more glorious in heaven. This hope of immortality, 
given as it were to satisfy the love of life implanted 
in man by his Creator, may have power to dispel the 
terrors of death which often hinders men from es- 
pousing great and noble enterprises. It was thus that 
Mohammed inspired his followers. The Musselmen 
clung to life, they feared death, but Mohammed 
promised them eternal existence in heaven if they 
died fighting for God ; and the courage of the Mo- 
hammedans, while under the influence of this emo- 
tion, has never been surpassed. It is perfectly legiti- 



ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION. 103 

mate for the orator to make use of every faculty in 
the human constitution. If he is called upon to quell 
an insurrection, rebellion, or mutiny, he can perhaps 
stem its fury by appealing to the emotion of love of 
life. He can point out how dearly every man loves 
his own life, and what a dreadful crime it is to de- 
prive a fe]low man of his right to life. How even in 
barbarous times life was regarded as so precious that 
a law was made, "Thou shalt not kill," and a warning 
thundered from Mount Zion, "Whoso sheddeth man's 
blood, by man shall his blood be shed." If the orator 
can clothe such thoughts in the glowing language of 
the imagination, they will not fail to enlist the emo- 
tion of love of life in aid of his cause. And even in 
peaceful times, the orator can make good use of this 
emotion in appealing to men. He can show the joy 
of existence, the pride of a robust constitution, the 
steady resistance to disease, and the wonderful plea- 
sures and scenes of life worthy of our regard and 
abiding love. 

Language. — The expression of the emotion of love 
of life can be shown only in a general way. Its 
special gestures are few, consisting mainly of those 
which are made to avoid injury or death. It mani- 
fests itself in ordinary circumstances by upright atti- 
tudes of the body. The head is held erect, the voice 
is full, clear and manly. It has a depth of resonance 
indicative of a mind intently alive to the enjoyments 
of life. When death approaches one in whom the 
love of life is passionate, there is a terrible struggle ; 
the body is braced up tight, the hands come together 
and clasp as if the victim strove to strangle the cause 
of his suffering ; or they are thrown from the body 
with violence as if they sought to ward off the enemy. 
If death gains the victory there will be many struggles 



104 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

before the last breath is drawn. The sufferer may 
even gather his remaining vitality, raise himself erect, 
and with choking utterance declare his belief that he 
will not die. It is amazing how some will struggle 
to maintain life, the extraordinary strength of nerve 
and muscle manifested by many in struggling against 
disease inclines me to believe that the love of life en- 
lists the aid of all the other faculties to throw off its 
enemies. If such be the case it is difficult to select 
the appropriate gestures which indicate the love of 
life. The emotions arising from Combativeness, 
Destructiveness, Cautiousness and Firmness may all 
manifest themselves at various times in the struggle 
between death and life. The tones of the voice are 
full, vigorous, animated, and expressive of every shade 
of emotion. 



CHAPTER IV. 



GKOUP OF SELF-REGARDING EMOTIONS. 

This group of emotions follows next in order of 
classification because they have an element of love in 
their nature, love of self. They spring- from the emo- 
tional state of the propensities of Self-esteem and 
Love of Approbation. 

They have four sub-divisions : 

1. Self-estimative or the exaltation of self on ac- 
count of one's own powers. Self-esteem or self-gra- 
tulation, Dignity, Selfishness, Ingratitude, Pride, 
Haughtiness, Independence, Authority. 

2. Self-regarding, mingled with contemptuous es- 
timation of others. Contempt, Sneering, Defiance, 
Disgust, Repugnance or Aversion, Scorn, Disdain. 

3. Self-exaltative, arising from the favorable opin- 
ions of others. Love of Praise, Vanity, Flattery, Ad- 
ulation, Fawning, Ambition or desire of power. 

4. Self-depreciatory class : Resignation, Shyness, 
Shame, Modesty, Humility, Confusion, Disapproba- 
tion, Censure, Reproach, Vituperation, Impotence, 
Submission. 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EMOTIONS OF SELF. 

1. Mental : The self -regarding emotions are men- 
tally elevating. The high estimation in which self is 
held produces a feeling of pleasure. The self-depre- 
ciatory class are not pleasurable. 
(105) 



106 ELOCUTION &ND ORATORY. 

1 . Physiological : The vital functions are acceler- 
ated. Elevation of mind increases the activity of all 
vital organs. In the the self-regarding mingled with 
contempt of others the mental functions are even 
more accelerated. In the self-depreciatory emotions, 
however, vital action is diminished. 

3. Expressional : Self is the center for all the ges- 
tures. All the attitudes of the body are made from 
self and return to self 

EMOTIONS OF SELF. 

The emotions of self have an element of love in 
their composition. It is love of self, which may be in 
the form of admiration, pity or esteem. The normal 
activity of these emotions leads to a due valuation of 
one's own abilities and qualities, denoted by the terms 
self-respect, self-reliance, independence, dignity, 
magnanimity, and love of ruling. When these sen- 
ments have undue control of the characters of men, 
they lead to pride, inperativeness, haughtiness, and 
inordinate love of power. The emotions of self have 
their function in expressive oratory. It is absolutely 
necessary that the orator should in his actions and 
bearing manifest dignity and due self-respect. Men 
respect those who value themselves, and if an orator 
shows by his manner that he deems himself or what 
he utters of no weight, most assuredly will his audience 
so value him. Besides the self regarding emotions 
are possessed by all men and it is therefore important 
that the orator should know how to kindle these emo- 
tions, and make use of them to advance the measures 
wkich he advocates. In general it will be found that 
the more one can enlist the self-respect of men and 
women in a noble cause, the more strongly will they 
support that cause, It is always better to address 



SELF-REGARDING EMOTIONS. 107 

men as dignified moral beings, having respect for 
themselves and their actions, rather than as misera- 
ble sinners lost to all sense of dignity and respect. 

SELF GEATULATION OR SELF ESTEEM. 

Self esteem arises from the contemplation of those 
qualities of character possessed by us which in others 
are regarded as worthy of praise. In its simple state 
of activity it leads to a gentle elevation of self. 

Language. — The expression of the features are not 
marked, self-possession being the chief characteristic. 
The look and attitude is dignified, and the whole 
bearing noble and commanding. The head is thrown 
a little backward from the perpendicular. The stride 
and step are steady and free from embarrassment. 
All things are performed with a consciousness of skill 
and ability to accomplish them. The man who es- 
teems himself may be deferential to others, but never 
cringing or vacillating, not even in the presence of his 
superiors in dignity wealth and power. The tones 
of the voice are positive, the falling inflection prevails, 

DIGNITY 

is an excessive activity of the sentiment of self-es- 
teem. A dignified person regards self as the best 
judge of actions and conduct, and sets at defiance 
the opinion of others when contrary to his own. 

Language. — A kind, but serious expression; features 
regular ; the head and body erect ; the motions rather 
slow, steps long and regular, the toes slightly turned 
outward, and the movements of the hand rather slow. 
The movements of the hands vary ; sometimes one 
will be placed on the breast, under the coat, 
while the other will hang motionless by the side of 
the "body, or will rest on the back, 



108 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



PRIDEo 

Pride is due to an excessive estimation of self. In 
its mild form it leads to honorable actions. A skilled 
workman has a pride in not sending- out an inferior 
production. A man of integrity is proud of acting 
up to his reputation for honesty. Pride when pas- 




111 



Pride. 
sionate leads to contempt of others. A person 
whom pride is excessive compares his endowments 
and qualification with those of others and boasts of 
his own superiority. 

Language. — A proud man shows his superiority 
over others by holding his head and body erect. He 
is haughty and makes himself appear as large as pos- 



SELF-KEGAKDLNG EMOTIONS. 109 

sible. "We speak metaphorically of a proud man as 
swollen or puffed up with pride. The peacock or tur- 
key-cock is an emblem of pride. Observe the strut 
and the blown-out feathers. The arrogant man looks 
down upon others, and with lowered eyelids hardly 
deigns to observe them. If he institutes unfavorable 
comparisons of others, the face assumes the expres- 
sion of contempt. The tones of the voice are sharp, 
dogmatic, and metallic. The inflections and emphasis 
are circumflex or expressive of scorn. 

"Know ye not then," said Satan, filled with scorn, 
1 'Know ye not me ? — Ye knew me once no mate 
For you ; there sitting where ye durst not soar : 
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown, — 
The lowest of your throng." [Milton. 

LOVE OF AUTHOKITY, OR COMMANDING. 

This emotion arises from self-confidence and the 
love of power. Men desire authority over others and 
will make sacrifices to obtain that power. The char- 
acteristic elements of pride and dignity are found in 
this emotion. The expression of simple authority 
reveals a calm, self-possessed nature. The countenance 
is open, but the eye-brows are slightly inclined 
downwards, and the general attitudes are expres- 
sive of dignity, wisdom and gravity. In command- 
ing, the countenance is severe or stern. The ac- 
tions are prompt, the attitudes decided and even 
haughty ; the hand is held out with the palm upwards 
and moved toward the person commanded. If there 
is unwillingness to obey manifested, then the right 
hand is extended forcibly towards the person com- 
manded, with an authoritative nod of the head, as if 
to indicate that there is no room for refusal, the com- 
mand must be obeyed. 

The tones of the voice are strong, positive and con- 



110 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

fident. The rate of utterance is deliberate. The 
falling inflection and decided emphasis prevail. 

Oth. Hold, for your lives ! 

Iago. Hold, ho! Lieutenant, — sir, — Montano, — gentlemen, — 
Have you forgot all sense of place and duty ? 
Hold ! the general speaks to you ; hold, hold, for shame ! 

Oth. Why, how now, ho ! from whence ariseth this ? 
Are we turn'd Turks, and to ourselves do that 
Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites ? 
For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl : 
He that stirs next to carve for his own rage 
Holds his soul light ; he dies upon his motion. 
Silence that dreadful bell : it frights the isle 
From her propriety. What is the matter, masters ? 
Honest Iago, that look'st dead with grieving, 
Speak, who began this ? on thy love, I charge thee. 

SELFISHNESS. 

It may appear when we first consider the passion 
of selfishness that it resembles the feeling- of Avarice. 
There is, indeed, a relation between greed and love 
of self, in the fact that both are utterly selfish, both 
ignore entirely the outside world of humanity. The 
direction or aim of the greedy desire in the miser, 
however, is different from that of the same pas- 
sion in the selfish man. The miser is blind to the 
wants of those around him, because he loves 
gold more than man or God. The selfish man is also 
blind to the claims of others, because he loves self 
more than others. The goal of the miser's love is 
gold, while that of the selfish man is self. The differ- 
ence in the objects of their love causes also a wide 
difference in their actions. The miser seeks to ac- 
quire wealth for its own sake ; the selfish man for the 
pleasure which money can supply. The miser loves 
money better than himself ; the selfish man loves self 
better than money, everything-, or everybody. The 



SELF-KEGAKDING EMOTIONS. Ill 

former sacrifices everything to gratify an artificial 
passion which he has created, the latter in order to 
pamper self. 

The Language expressive of the selfish passion, 
can only be learned by careful observation of the ac- 
tions of selfish men. The actions are various ; they 
differ according to the occasion which calls selfishness 
into exercise. In general, however, it may be said 
that selfishness expresses a disregard for all things 
which affect not onr interests. The selfish man never 
wins the sympathy of others. In society he pays 
little attention to others and seeks to monopolize the 
conversation and time of those present. He regards 
not the feelings of others, and cruelly pains them by 
his "overbearing and selfish actions. "With proud, 
imperious tone he asks questions suggested through 
mere curiosity, which are often extremely galling to 
honorable natures. He may even smile contemptuously 
upon the people with whom he speaks, and give the 
impression that what they say is worthless compared 
with the opinions he has formed. Entirely in love 
with "Number One," he is ready to clutch everything 
that offers enjoyment, even when intended for another. 
He makes no self-sacrifices, and consequently nobody 
sympathizes with him. The countenance is not open, 
but rather contracted ; the mouth is closed, and the 
upper lip is made convex. The actions of the body 
are rigid and overbearing. The hands move toward 
the body rather than away from it. His attitudes are 
calm and self-possessed. He never manifests humility 
or nervousness in the presence of others. He is ever 
ready to take advantage of the courtesies or favors of 
others, but grants none himself. 

All the tones of the voice are harsh, metallic, and 
unsympathetic ; the falling inflection prevails. The 



112 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

emphasis, especially on the words my and mine, are 
marked. 

INGRATITUDE. 

Ingratitude is a base feeling*, and springs 
from love of self and vanity. When we have at- 
tained the object of our desires we are prone to 
forget those who, by their friendly aid and advice 
were the means of our elevation. We strive to give 
others the false impression that we are not indebted 
to anyone but ourselves for our success. Perhaps 
vanity has much to do with this peculiar feeling. We 
wish the world to estimate our talents highly, so we 
avoid acknowledgement of our indebtedness to friends 
and neighbors, or it may be that we are selfish and do 
not wish to part with money or service in payment for 
obligations conferred upon us by our benefactors. 
The language of ingratitude very strongly resembles 
that of selfishness. 

SELF REGARDING, CONTEMPTUOUS MEASUREMENT OF OTHERS. 

Contempt, Sneering and Defiance. — We come now 
to a peculiar class of feelings, which have an element 
of self-estimation or pride, but yet derive their most 
essential character from influences outside of, but 
affecting self. These emotions are called by various 
names but they are essentially the same ; there is an 
element of wounded pride, and a desire to return re- 
tribution upon the offender in them all. They are 
emotions highly oratorical. The arguments of an op- 
ponent may be dismissed effectually by a sneer of the 
lip or a look of contempt. To give the impression 
that what has been said by an opponent against the 
cause which the speaker advocates is worthy only of 
scorn and contempt has a great influence upon an 



SELE-REOARmNG EMOTIONS. 



113 



audience. Men in general have a natural pride in 
their intelligence, and they are readily moved to 
abandon a cause which appears weak and insignifi- 
cant. This feeling is very powerful in the minds of 
men, especially when congregated together. They 




Contempt. 

are prone to consider that the attention of all present 
will be concentrated upon them, and that a poor es- 
timate of their intelligence will be formed by many if 
they are known to support principles which are worthy 
only of scorn. To avoid this they will be careful to 
expose only those measures which are free from ricli- 



114 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

cule, and such principles as a speaker may treat with 
contempt will be accepted with caution. 

CONTEMPT. 

Contempt is the mind's retributive estimate 
of bad actions. The causes of contempt are 
various; they generally spring, however, from 
wounded pride. A man moving in high station full 
of wealth and honors may feel a contempt for those 
beneath him especially if an inferior wounds his dig- 
nity. Criticism of our actions or abilities by an in- 
ferior may arouse this feeling in our breasts. Pride, 
vanity and self-promotion stimulate this passion. 

Language. — The language varies in the expression 
of this emotion according to the cause or nature of 
the insult. If the cause of the feeling is an unpro- 
voked insult from an inferior the gestures will be 
dignified. A single sidelong glance at the person ; 
a severe look as if taking the measure of his capa- 
city will sufficiently denote contempt for an inferior 
person without losing dignity. 

Shrugging the shoulders denotes superiority over 
those inferior. There is here a natural contrast be- 
tween self and others. Pride is the result of the high 
opinion we entertain of ourselves, contempt arises 
from the poor opinion we form of others. 

Movements of the nose and lips. The most com- 
mon method of expressing contempt is by move- 
ments about the nose, or around the mouth. The 
nose and lips are generally turned up The lips in 
curling may display the teeth or they may form a 
half sardonic smile. Both lips may be protruded, 
the under lip pushed a little downward, and the up- 
per one raised forming a valve, closing the nostrils ; 
this movement seems to indicate that the character of 



SELF-REGARDING EMOTIONS. 115 

the person is as disagreeable to us as an offensive odor. 

Half closing the eyelids or turning* away the body 
indicates that the person is not worth looking at. 

Snapping the lingers or pressing the thumb 
slightly against the forefinger indicates that the per- 
son or object is insignificant. 

Biting the thumb or sucking the finger when 
another person is speaking also indicates contempt. 

Yarious Other Actions The body turned sideways, 

a circular glance over the shoulder or throwing a 
hasty look, movements of the hands as if casting 
away a despised object. A slight movement of the 
foot in the direction of the object, and an immediate 
withdrawal, all indicate the low estimation which the 
person has of the object. The neglect of those present 
by paying attention'to others. Whistling, humming, 
beating the table whilst others are talking. 

Laughing or sneering when others are asking 
questions. Neglecting to perform obligations or keep- 
ing people waiting in the anteroom. 

Sneering and Defiance. — Can hardly be separated 
from contempt, they are but milder forms of that feel- 
ing. What we commonly regard as a sneer, is simply 
the expression around the mouth, caused by the draw- 
ing up of the lip from one side of the mouth, thus 
displaying a single canine tooth. The nostrils are 
also slightly turned up on the same side with the re- 
tracted lip. The face is upturned and averted from 
the offending person. In the expression of all of these 
emotions the tones of voice assume the inflections 
and emphasis of scorn. The term disgust in its origi- 
nal sense means something offensive to the taste. It 
is excited by the sight of anything unnatural in the 
appearance, or nature of food. The yolk of an egg 
on a man's beard looks disgusting, and yet there is 



116 



ELOCUTION AND ORATOEY. 



nothing in the nature of the yolk to cause disgust. 
Though the appearance of unsavory food causes dis- 
gust, yet the sensation must have primarily arisen in 
the act of eating and tasting. The gestures of disgust 
are often transferred to persons and objects which 
have no relation to eating, and for this reason we 
will study its language as an element in expression. 




Defiance. 
Language. — Disgust exhibits itself in the face in 
various ways. The countenance frowns, the mouth 
opens wide as if to let an offensive morsel drop out. 
The lips protrude with a blowing sound. There is a 
sound in the throat as if the effort were being made to 
clear itself of something, gutteral exclamations such 
as " ach " and " ugh." These sounds are sometimes 
accompanied by a shudder, the arms being pressed 
close to the sides and the shoulders raised. 



SELF-REGARDING EMOTIONS. 



117 



Extreme disgust takes on tlie movements j)repara- 
tory to the act of vomiting. The mouth opens widely, 
the upper lip strongly retracts, wrinkles gather round 
the sides of the nose, the lower lip is averted and pro- 
truded as much as possible. The vocal tones are 
harsh and expressive of loathing. The words are 
hissed between the teeth and uttered in a repulsive 
manner. 

Repugnance or Aversion. — Aversion of a person 
may express itself by the language of disgust. The 




Aversion. 
milder form of aversion is sufficiently indicated by a 
wave of the hand, away from self and toward the de- 



118 ELOCUTION AND ORATOBt. 

tested object. The eyes are sometimes shut or averted 
or hidden by the hand and the head turned away. 
The voice is aspirated and hissing as in disgust. 

LOVE OF APPROBATION. 

This is an altruistic sentiment. It differs from self- 
esteem, which estimates self irrespective of the 
opinion of others. Self-esteem prompts a person to 
rely upon his own powers, opinions, and judgments, 
whereas the love of approbation finds consolation in 
the opinions and decisions of others. It is something 
very different to have a selfish pride in our own 
abilities, and to desire the approbation of others. In 
other words, the egotist who is satisfied with himself 
and cares not a straw about the ojnnions of others, is 
different from the sycophant, who desires to be es- 
teemed by others, and whose character manifests it- 
self very often in vanity and in a fawning, cringing 
disposition. There are persons who, rather than bo 
deprived of the esteem and praise of others, will sur- 
render their own views and adapt their conduct and 
opinions to please those whose commendation they 
value. Cicero is a good example of those whoso 
character is influenced by the love of approbation ; 
he was always troubled about what the people, and 
especially what future generations, would say con- 
cerning him. 

Sympathy aids this emotion in a very efficient way. 
To have others praise us and sympathize with 
our efforts, is a strong incentive to action. The love 
of praise dwells in every human heart and only differs 
in the degree of its activity. Some are more fond of 
praise than others. Women and children are exces- 
sively fond of praise, and he who would gain a 
woman's ear must load her with compliments. Never 



sele-reoardinO emotions. 119 

criticize a woman's actions, qualities of beauty, 
or character, though they be as rank and gross as the 
slimy weeds which grow in Lethe's pool, if you value 
that woman's friendship. Love of approbation in 
moderate activity is essential to ambition, courtesy, 
and to refinement of manners. In excess it shows 
weakness of disposition. The man who can do noth- 
ing- unless he is goaded on by the praise of others 
has no bottom to his character. Flattery, adulation, 
fawning, and sycophancy are products of excessive 
approbation, unrestrained by the intellect. Love of 
approbation may be usefully employed in oratory, 
but the speaker must be careful not to sacrifice truth 
to praise, or give his audience the impression that he 
seeks to flatter them. Polite society insists that the 
bestowal of compliments should be made with deli- 
cacy, and on the other hand all offensive criticism 
should be avoided. The orator can always rely upon 
success if he can awaken this feeling in the men and 
women before him. All persons are much influenced 
if they think those who speak to them have a just 
appreciation of their intelligence and judgement. 
Then again as this sentiment leads to ambition or the 
love to accomplish something worthy and noble, 
which will make them famous among men, the orator 
can early his audience along with him by showing 
that his measures are such that those who advocate 
them will become worthy of admiration and praise. 

VANITY. 

Yanity springs from perverted love of approbation. 
It is the desire for the praise of others even in trifling 
affairs. Yanity is characteristic of weak minds. 
Strong men have enough of ballast to maintain their 
equilibrium in themselves without the support of the 



i20 ELOCUTION AND ORATOM. 

opinion of others. Women are more prone to vanity 
than men, since a women's chief happiness often 
consists in being admired. Vain persons are always 
talking about themselves and what others say of them. 
Language. — The countenance expresses compla- 
cency, the eyes seem to ask the question, "What do 
you think of me ?" The upper lip may rise and display 
the teeth. Actions are graceful and studied, the 
gestures inclined toward self, the body placed in posi- 
tions best calculated to attract attention ; hands hover 
about the most admired grace of person, fingers curl 
the hair, or twist the mustache, 
or twirl a cane. When they re- 
ceive no voluntary compliments 
they fish for them, and, if that 
fails, in order to get a compli- 
ment, they will ask directly your 
opinion of this or that accom- 
plishment of theirs. They are 
always eager to tell about their 
Vanity. actions, and when once started 

you had better prepare yourself for a siege. You 
will find as they proceed in their self -laudation that 
the whole world has but one opinion, and that is 
amazingly in their favor. The tones of the voice are 
inflated and sometimes fawning. The quality is 
clear, round and full ; the rising inflection prevails, 
which gives an air of asking questions in order to 
get a compliment. 

Ambition, or the Desire for Power — Ambition is 
a passionate desire for eminence. To out-distance 
others in the pursuit of power, fame and glory is 
highly gratifying to some natures. The ambitious 
man experiences a feeling of proud superiority in con- 
templating the number of opponents he has van- 




SELF-REGARDING EMOTIONS. 121 

quished or the difficulties he has overcome. The 
statesman is ambitious because he loves power ; he 
wishes to control the destinies of nations. The 
haughty Roman, illustrates the passion for power. 
The churchman aspires to sacerdotal dignity, because 
he loves power. The orator, seeking to control mul- 
titudes by his eloquence, the scholar by his wisdom 
and learning, the poet by the harmony of numbers, 
are all ambitious of power. It is power which the 
business man desires when he accumulates wealth. 
The control of large operations, the command of 
armies or navies gratifies those ambitious of power. 
Ambition, then, is passion which may express itself in 
as many different sources of power. A moderate de- 
sire for power is noble, but immoderate love of power 
leads to many evils. The ambitious man may sacri- 
fice everything in order to obtain his desire, hence 
ambition may degenerate into selfish aggrandize- 
ment. The rights of humanity may be trodden under 
foot that ambition may reach her pinnacle. The de- 
sires of an ambitious man are generally unlimited ; 
the more he obtains, the more he craves. He is rest- 
less, sleep seldom closes his eyes, he has a thin and 
hungry look. An intense longing for power takes 
possession of him. His proud and lofty bearing may 
sink under the weight of his accumulating cares. 
Honors are not always worn in triumph ; rivals are 
ever ready to clutch them away. "Uneasy lies the 
head that wears a crown." 

Ambitious men are not always happy, suspicion 
will not let them rest, and envy often clouds their 
brows. Impatient and anxious at all times, their 
movements are rapid and abrupt, their features rest- 
less and intensely preoccupied. Thought of the 
future brings no joy to them as it does to other men, 



122 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

for they see in the future the prospect of blasted 
hopes. The voice is expressive of confidence, power 
and sublimity ; round, hard and vigorous ; inflection 
and emphasis are energetic ; and the time deliberate 
or calculated. 

SELF-DEPRECIATORY CLASS OF EMOTIONS. 

Blushing is peculiar to the human race. There is 
no evidence to show that animals blush. Blushing is 
an involuntary expression. If we try to restrain a 
blush we only increase it, so little is its expression 
under the control of the will. The young blush more 
freely than the old. Blushing is more common 
among women than among men. The blush begins 
in the face and extends as far down as the breast. 
The color caused by blushing gives beauty and in- 
terest to the expression of the face. Blushing is 
thought to indicate shame ; but this is not always the 
case. Diffidence, confusion, and sudden excitement 
cause blushing. Blushing is becoming to youth, inno- 
cence and beauty. "When no blush mantles the face 
of a young man or maiden, when detected in some 
act of shame, the moral character of such has be- 
come rooted in wickedness. Nothing is so beautiful 
as the modest, innocent, blushing countenance of a 
young maiden, and nothing is so detestible as a 
woman's face which is never guilty of a blush. 

Although blushing is induced by self-attention in 
relation to what others say of our appearance, char- 
acter, and conduct, yet one may blush in solitude, 
but the cause is evidently self-reflection concerning 
what others would say if we were subject to their in- 
spection. Shakespeare has sufficiently expressed this 
truth in the beautiful sentiment uttered by Juliet to 
Romeo when she innocently avowed her love. 



SELE-KEGABDING EMOTIONS. 123 

Thou know'st that the mask of night is on my face, 
Else would a maiden blush be-paint my cheek 
For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night ? 

The mental states which induce blushing- are shy- 
ness, shame, and modesty ; self attention directed to 
personal appearance, when conscious that this is the 
subject of the reflections of others, is the principal 
cause of blushing. In solitude it is not general for 
persons to blush, but only where there are others to 
approve or blame. We are more sensitive to blame 
than praise, hence we blush more readily when our 
actions are blamed than when approved. Neverthe- 
less praise and admiration are highly efficient. How 
often do our cheeks mantle with a blush when some 
one suddenly praises our conduct or skill in the 
presence of others. How quickly does a pretty, sen- 
sitive girl blush when a young man gazes intently at 
her or praises her beauty. To notice the dress of 
some women causes them to blush. Young men and 
women are highly sensitive in the presence of each 
other. A blush will crimson a young man's cheek if 
a woman simply alludes to his appearance, in a de- 
preciating way. And it is a well known fact that 
lovers when courting are perpetually blushing. 

Shame. — The emotion of shame arises when we are 
conscious that the eyes of others have detected us in 
the performance of some misdeed. We may feel 
shame, even when our guilt is not known to our friends 
whenever they speak disapprovingly of the act 
which we have committed. It is then our object to 
conceal our confusion. The fear of discovery possesses 
us and we blush crimson or turn pale. If we try to 
make excuses in order to conceal our confusion, the 
blushing only increases. It would seem as if nature 
had designed some means of revealing deception. 



124 ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 

The attitudes of the body are restless, the hands are. 
sometimes held unmeaningly by the side, and the 
head drawn up stiffly, as if we were determined not to 
yield to the emotion of shame. The look is unsteady ; 
the eyes quiver and steal furtive or askant glances at 
the persons present. The body turns to one side, and 
the face seeks concealment. We have always a con- 
sciousness that these signs of guilt are controlling our 
features, and so we endeavor to kill their tell-tale ex- 
pression by opposite movements. We attempt to 
look the person in the face, or affect a carelessness 
and unconcern about the matter which causes our 
shame, but this only increases the confusion. Rest- 
less movements about the eye and eyelids take 
place. Some persons have a habit of blinking when 
under the emotion of shame. These signs increase 
with the sensibility of the person to praise and blame 
and according to the enormity of the offence. If 
caught in the act, the limbs tremble, the face becomes 
pale, speech is denied, the whole expression is one of 
dejection. The body seems rooted to the spot and 
incapable of flight. In vain we try to hide the crime 
by evasive or equivocatory answers. If we are 
scrutinized narrowly by the accusing person we 
tremble under his glance and play nervously with 
whatever is in our reach. The tones of the voice arc 
somewhat aspirated, tremulous, halting; utterance 
confused and broken. Inflection and emphasis mic- 
placed or doubtful, and time irregular. 

Shyness is an emotion of false shame. It is a very 
peculiar mental state and difficult to explain. Why 
should a person feel shy in the presenee of another 
at a dinner-party or social gathering ? Sometimes 
those who are eminently superior in intellect, genius, 
or beauty, blush in the presence of their inferiors. 



SELF-KEGABDING EMOTIONS. 125 

The expression of shyness is a confused manner 
with occasional blushes. A woman blushes more 
often through shyness than through any other cause. 
Shyness generally springs from self-attention, or dis- 
approval by others of our appearance or conduct. 
Shyness is not fear. Some of the boldest men have 
been very shy in certain situations. What is com- 
monly called stage fright is often nothing more than 
excessive shyness. We have all become acquainted 
more or less with the peculiar embarrassing emotion 
which takes possession of us when about to speak, and 
how often it ties our tongue until the moment for 
talking has passed by. The voice seems to remain in 
the throat and efforts are made to clear the vocal 
organs. The tones are low, weak and hesitating. 

Modesty. — This feeling implies humility. Modesty 
springs up in a nature highly sensitive to praise and 
blame. It manifests itself chiefly in the relations be- 
tween the sexes. Etiquette has established certain 
rules of conduct,to go beyond which is considered in- 
delicate, hence modesty may arise when a person is 
conscious of having committed a breach of etiquette. 

Maidens manifest more modesty than young men, 
and the lack of modesty in the female character is 
very damaging. Some great men have been very 
modest in the opinion they have formed of their own 
abilities. 

The language of modesty resembles humility and 
veneration, and is generally accompanied with a blush. 
It bends the body slightly forward, renders the coun- 
tenance placid and downcast, and looks askance at 
the superior person or leads the eyes to his breast or 
feet. 

The voice is low, soft, winning ; quality pure, but 



126 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

restrained ; the rate of utterance irregular, and inflec- 
tions doubtful or monotones. 

Noeval's Humility. 
" Norv. I know not how to thank you. Rude I am 
In speech and manners ; never till this hour 
Stood I in such a presence ; yet, my Lord, 
There's something in my breast which makes me bold 
To say, that Norval ne'er will shame thy favor." 

Confusion is incident to blushing, and springs from 
a confused state of the mental powers. Persons in this 
state of mind utter very inappropriate remarks. They 
sometimes stammer or make awkward movements or 
grimaces. They are very often unconscious of what 
they are saying, and seem surprised when told 
(afterward) that they had been speaking. The tones 
of the voice are weak, low and aspirated. Utterance 
irregular and broken, emphasis and inflection mis- 
placed. 

Melancholy. — Is a weak, passive emotion. The 
cause of the evil is either superior to us or we cannot 
resist it. "We do not think of vengeance, but rather 
submission. This state is induced generally by dis- 
appointment. We feel discouraged, and when we 
contemplate the future there appears to be but little 
hope, so our spirits droop and our courage evapor- 
ates in vain contemplation. To fold the hands and 
lay them upon the lap is a sign of passive melancholy. 
Everything languishes, the head reclines heavy and 
feeble, the arms, fingers and knees are relaxed. The 
face is pale, the eyes look toward the object, the cause 
of the melancholy, or if it is absent the look is fixed 
upon the ground and the whole body bends. The 
steps are slow and languid, the attitudes are lifeless. 
There is no desire to please others, passive resignation 
is characteristic of both mental and bodily expres- 



SELF-KEGAKDING EMOTIONS. 127 

sion. The voice is soft, faint or languid ; low pitch, 
slow movement ; vanishing stress ; pure but pectoral 
quality and monotone or plaintive semitone. 

Disapprobation, censure, reproach, vituperation, 
are terms which indicate the unfavorable emotions 
arising in us, on account of the adverse criticisms or 
judgments of others. The consciousness in our- 
selves that the judgments made concerning our 
character or actions are rightly formed, adds to the 
load of depression. We reproach ourselves and lose 
our self-respect. The language of shame and confu- 
sion and melancholy manifest themselves and we 
break down for lack of confidence. The actions and 
attitudes of the body are versatile, undecided, and 
self-condemnatory. The eyes are averted and un- 
steady, the look wistful, hesitating, aud confused. 
The voice is broken, muffled, husky, and slightly 
tremulous. The words used are cautiously spoken, 
and have the rising inflection which indicates doubt, 
sometimes they are even withdrawn and other words 
substituted, through fear of further criticism. 
Nay, cursed be thou! since against his,thy will 

Chose freely what it now so justly rues. 

Me miserable ! which way shall I fly 

Infinite wrath and infinite despair ? 

Which way I fly is Hell, — myself am Hell ; 

And in the lowest deep, a lower deep, 

Still threatening to devour me, opens wide, 

To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heaven ! 



CHAPTEE V. 



GEOUP OF RESISTIVE, AGGRESSIVE, AND MALIGN EMOTIONS 
AND PASSIONS. 

The emotional and passional states of the genetic 
instincts of Firmness, Combativeness, and Destruc- 
tiveness form this group. It has three sub-divisions : 

1. Resistive class : Determination, resolution, will- 
fulness, stubborness, ill-temper, peevishness, morose- 
ness, sulkiness, affirmation, and negation. 

2. Aggressive class : Opposition, love of contention, 
pugnacity, defiance, indignation, courage, martial 
ardor. 

3. Irascible and Malign class : Anger, rage, ven- 
geance, revenge, wrath, hatred, antipathy, envy, 
malice, jealousy, raillery, sarcasm. 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESISTIVE AND AG- 
GRESSIVE EMOTIONS AND PASSIONS. 

Mental. — The resistive and aggressive emotions are 
pleasurable. They are mentally vigorous. The 
malign class are mentally vigorous but painful, ex- 
cept when gratified. 

Physiological. — The action of the vital function is 
rendered vigorous by all the emotions of this group, 
except in the exhausted paroxysm of the malign emo- 
tions, when weakness and trembling have diminished 
vital action. 

(128) 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 129 

JBxpressional. — The expression is vigorous, the 
muscles of the face contract, indicating energy. The 
body is held rigid, braced, and all the attitudes are 
indicative of strength. The gestures are made 
straight from the body, toward the offending object, 
and, especially in the aggressive and malign class, 
with great violence. 

THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 

Firmness or Determination Firmness or deter- 
mination gives strength and efficiency to all the 
mental states — emotional, intellectual, and passional. 
Its influence upon character is very marked ; for it 
imparts stability to every virtue and consistency in 
action. The scripture says, "He that wavereth is like 
a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." 
A person influenced by determination will be con- 
sistent in his actions, not vacillating ; for this emotion 
exerts influence upon all the other emotions. If the 
aggressive passions hold sway their determination 
will give them persistency, and the person will com- 
bat until victory is gained. Should the love emo- 
tions arise determination will give them stabilty. 
Perseverance is an element in character due to firm- 
ness or determination. It is simply persistent or con- 
tinuous determination. 

In oratory firmness is valuable in many ways. 
It is valuable to the orator himself. If the orator 
advances his principles resolutely and persistently 
adheres to them his audience will estimate them ac- 
cordingly. A man who oscillates between two opin- 
ions is never respected, whereas firmness and resolu- 
tion often passes for wisdom. The firm tone, the de- 
cided manner convey the impression that the princi- 
ples have been duly considered and the conclusion 



130 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

reached ; but a hesitating manner, or tone of voice, 
raises doubt in the minds of the listeners ; besides 
it is expected when an orator presents himself before 
an audience that he comes prepared to tell to them the 
result of his study and meditation on the subject, 
not that he is only now considering- it. If he hesi- 
tates and seems doubtful of his own principles, the 
men and women he addresses will be prone to con- 
sider that he has not duly weighed his thoughts, and 
they will refuse to follow what may be ill advised 
principles. Let him consider over again what he has 
to say. Why does he dare to give to us his unripened 
thoughts. Moreover, an orator should be firm 
in advocating his principles, also from psychological 
reasons. A resolute bearing and determined tone of 
voice indicate a commanding mind that overawes the 
irresolute and fickle, and commands the respect of 
the determined. If you are less firm than the major- 
ity of your audience they will soon find it out, and 
your persuasive power will be diminished accordingly. 
It is all very well to control your audience by mani- 
festing the love emotions, but if these are not sup- 
ported by the aggressive, resistive, and the self-re- 
garding emotions, your persuasive power will be like 
a discarded razor, devoid of sharpness. Humility in 
a giant is respected, but in a dwarf it is regarded as 
weakness. So love, unsupported by the strong emo- 
tions, becomes mere sentimentality. In order to be 
sympathetic, loving, humble, and persuasive, you 
should have the power to be otherwise if you choose. 
Then again the orator should seek to enlist the 
quality of firmness or determination, arising in the 
minds of his audience, in his own behalf. It is one 
thing to convince people of the righteousness of your 
cause and to arouse them to advocate it, and another 



THE EESISTIYE CLASS. 131 

thing to influence them to persist in supporting it. 
To awaken emotions and passions in their minds, 
which for the present inflame them with desire to 
embrace your principles, is only half the battle. 
These emotions must be made permanent. This can 
be accomplished by arousing in their minds the feel- 
ing of determination. Only let resolution and deter- 
mination take hold of your audience and your victory 



Deteemlned. 

is sure. An orator should therefore gradually work 
up his audience from conviction to emotion, from 
emotion to passion, from passion to action, and from 
action to determined persistence. This can be ac- 
complished by a skillful arrangement of arguments ; 
the weakest and intellectual first, next those that stir 
the feelings, then those which seem to satisfy all the 
qualities in man, and lastly firmness should be 
awakened — intensified by positive assertion and ap- 
peals to constancy and faithfulness. 



132 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Language. — In studying men under the influence of 
determination or firmness the following signs appear : 
The brows knit firmly and a frown is visible, and the 
more determined the man becomes the more intense 
is the frown. The mouth is firmly closed. No deter- 
mined man ever had an open mouth. The upper lip 
is drawn in stiff and straight. The whole body is 
thrown into a rigid condition, the lungs are filled 
with air, the breast firmly braced by the muscles of 
the chest. The foot is firmly planted and strikes the 
ground with the whole heel, not as in Combativeness 
sideways. There is a tendency to emphasize every 
word, and especially those most essential to the 
meaning. The words are struck out with a hard, 
clean-cut sound. There is a tendency to use the 
words "will" and "will not," and all negatives and 
affirmatives with great emphasis. The manner has a 
peculiar hardness, and the gait is characterized by 
stiffness and uprightness, while the foot is brought 
to the ground with a thrust or stamp of the heel. 
The tones of the voice are hard, firm, solid, and 
characterized by radical stress, high pitch, and fall- 
ing inflection. 

EXAMPLES OF DETERMINATION. 

Let the consequences be what they will, I am determined to 
proceed. The only principles of public conduct which are worthy 
of a gentleman, or a man, are, to sacrifice estate, ease, applause, 
and even life, at the sacred call of his country. 

'You may, if it be God's will, gain our barren and rugged 
mountains. But, like our ancestors of old, we will seek refuge 
in wilder and more distant solitudes ; and when we have resisted 
to the last, we will starve in the icy wastes of the glaciers. Ay, 
men, women, and children, we will be frozen into annihilation 
together, ere one free Switzer will acknowledge a foreign mas- 
ter] 




THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 133 

Resolution. — Resolution is a simple manifestation 
of Determination. When we have made up our 
minds in a certain direction we 
Lave formed a resolution, and 
we may adhere to that resolu- 
tion without any of the objec- 
tionable signs of firmness. 
There should be nothing rigid 
or hard about the expression of 
the emotion, but simply an air 
of calmness and settled pur- 
pose. The accompanying fig- 
ure shows this quality of expression. Resolution. 

On such occasions, I will place myself on the extreme boun- 
dary of my rights, and bid defiance to the arm that would push 
me from it. 

Wilfulness. — This emotion is more censurable than 
that of resolution. A gentleman is resolute, but a 
clown wilful. The resolute man maintains his 
ground and defends his cause because he knows it is 
right, but the wilful man adheres to his opinions, 
right or wrong, because they are his opinions. "Any- 
thing to have my way" is his motto. There may 
be wiser plans than his, but you must carry out his 
plans in the way he suggests. In addition to the 
element of determination, there appears also to be a 
manifestation of Self-esteem. A person is wilful 
because he has a high respect for his own opinions 
or plans. The actor is bound to be true to the 
delineation of character, hence it is important for him 
to assume the signs of wilfulness ; but an orator 
should never manifest wilfulness. He should express 
his ideas with the language of resolution, not with 
that of wilfulness ; for an audience admires resolu- 
tion in a man, but not wilfulness. A speaker must 



134 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

have something higher and more reasonable to com- 
mend his principles than his own waywardness, if he 
wishes men of intelligence to embrace them. 

Language. — The language of wilfulness is the 
same as determination, but -much more intensified, 
and its objectionable signs appear most prominently. 
In addition to these there is an apparent officiousness 
of manner, a tendency to intrude his opinions, to give 
advice, and to recommend his own way. There is a 
frequent use of the words, "I know how," "this is the 
best way," "you are wrong," "that will never suc- 
ceed," etc. The wilful man never hesitates ; he 
hardly knows what modesty or deference means, and 
often his interference is insulting. 

Although wilfulness employs the language of de- 
termination, yet there are a few signs which never 
appear in that emotion. A wilful man is impetuous, 
and dogged, seems to have had his opinions formed 
years ago, it is not necessary to discuss, but 
simply to declare them and everybody ought to ac- 
cept them. All his gestures are rapidly made. He 
is quick to come to a conclusion and prompt to urge 
it. When he puts down his foot there the matter 
ends. All the gestures of determination have, there- 
fore, this characteristic added to them, they seem 
to be made recklessly, without forethought or wis- 
dom. The tones of the voice are harsh, aspirated, 
and occasionally pectoral ; unsympathetic and selfish. 
Rate of utterance, rapid. Falling inflections and ab- 
rupt emphasis prevail. 

Stubbornness. — Stubbornness is another offspring 
of determination or firmness. It is a more pas- 
sionate emotion than wilfulness. In wilfulness there 
is a show of reason, but in stubbornness there is no 
reason whatever ; hence we call stubborn men fools 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 135 

and asses. With the grip of a bull-dog", a stubborn 
man clings to his opinion, and nothing can persuade 
him to change. 

Language. — The language is the same as that of 
determination and wilfulness, but more vigorous and 
marked. The body is rigid and seems rooted to one 
spot. Changes of position are made with reluctance 
and even in the very movement there is a tendency 
to retrace the steps. A stubborn man, when requested 
to surrender his seat, rises slowly, and appears as if 
about to sit down again. If he is compelled through 
fear to perform an action, he goes about it as if his 
members were glued together, or had been frozen. 

There are a few peculiar gestures expressive of this 
emotion. The brows are always knit and frowning. 
Sometimes the hands are drawn close to the sides, 
and the body rigidly kept in a perpendicular position, 
as if the back were supported by a wall. Then again, 
the hands are thrust into the pockets, and the 
shoulders are elevated almost to the ears. A stub- 
born child will cry itself into a kink or faint before it 
will yield. The voice has a pectoral or gutteral 
quality, high pitch, radical and vanishing stress ; rate 
of utterance, impassioned and energetic. Falling 
inflections and abrupt emphasis prevail. In the 
paroxysms of the passion of stubbornness the vocal 
exertion may become so intense that the voice seems 
to emit only sharp barks. 

Shylock Demands his Bond. — Shakespeare. 

"I'll have my bond ; I will not hear thee speak : 
I'll have my bond ; and therefore speak no more. 
I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, 
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield 
To Christian intercessors. Follow not ; 
I'll have no speaking ! I will have my bond." .^ 



136 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



Ill-temper. — Ill-temper, sulkiness, peevishness, and 
kindred feelings arise in ns when we are crossed or 
thwarted, or have something- disagreeable to do. 
Hotspur, [irritated against Henry IV.] — Shakespeare. 
"Why, look you, I am whipped and scourged with rods, 
Nettled, and stung with pismires, when I hear 
Of this vile politician Bolingbroke I" 

Language. — The knitting or frowning of the brows, 
the same as in reflection, is the natural language of 
ill-temper. It is due to the same cause, some obstruc- 
tion in the way. Frowning 
with some depression of the 
corners of the mouth indicates 
peevishness. Moroseness is in- 
dicated by the frowning brow 
when drawn down by the mus- 
cles of the nose, which pro- 
duce transverse wri n k 1 e s 
across the base of the nose. 
Sulkiness has the same expres- 
sion as moroseness, with the 
addition of a firmly-closed mouth. In children sulki- 
ness is expressed by pouting. The pout consists of 
the protrusion of both lips into a tubular form. This 
pouting is often accompanied by a little shrug and 
backward push of the shoulder. 

Impotence or Inability. — Impotence is not imbecil- 
ity ; it is the expression of our incapacity to do cer- 
tain duties. Imbecility is natural weakness of intel- 
lect and body, but there are times when strong men 
are incapable of performing some task. 

Language. — When a person wishes to show that he 
desires to prevent something being done, or that he 
himself is incapable of doing something he shrugs 
his shoulders. He raises one shoulder above the 




Ill-temper. 



THE BESISTIVE CLASS. 



137 



other with a short quick movement, bends the elbows 
closely inward, elevates his open hands and turns 
them outward with fingers separated. The head is 
thrown to one side, the eyebrows elevated, the 
brow full of wrinkles and the mouth slightly 
open. 




The Sheug of Inability. 

Unwillingness. — May express itself by some of the 
above gestures or simply by a toss of the head to the 
side, or the turning outwards of the open hand with 
the fingers separated. Sometimes a simple pressure 
of the elbows against the side, the elevation of the 



138 ELOCUTION AND OKATOBY. 

eyebrows, and an outward motion of the hand with 
the palm directed towards the person addressed and 
moved quickly from right to left, sufficiently ex- 
press inability to perform some duty. The shrug- 
ging of the shoulders implies an unconditional or 
unavoidable action, or one that we cannot perform, 
or an action performed by some other person beyond 
our prevention. The language commonly used with 
such gestures expresses the inability of the speaker to 
perform some duty. " This cannot be accomplished," 
" it is impossible to obtain what you desire," " he will 
do it in spite of me." Shakespeare speaks of shrug- 
ging the shoulders as expressive of patience. " Still 
have I borne it with a patient shrug." 

Determined Unwillingness is expressed by the addi- 
tional signs, knitting the brow, putting the hands 
into the pockets, and elevating the shoulders 
almost to the ears. 

Resignation may be expressed by the open hands 
being placed, one over the other, on the lower part 
of the body. 

Affirmation and Negation. — These states of mind 
are expressed by a few simple gestures. A vertical 
nod or shake of the head with a smile indicates ap- 
proval. A lateral shake of the head with a frown de- 
notes disapproval. These are the common signs, but 
there are others which may be employed. 

A wink of one eye with a slight lateral shake of 
the head, holding up the right hand and shaking 
it by turns half round and back indicates negation. 

Affirmation may be expressed by a simple elevation 
of the eyebrows, and a slight drawing back of the 
head as if saying, "Approach I am willing." The finger 
gesture is sometimes employed to indicate these states 
of mind, In affirmation the forefinger is raised, then 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 139 

lowered and pointed to the ground or the hand is 
waved straight forward from the face ; in negation 
the forefinger or whole hand is shaken from right to 
left. In the court room a judicial oath of affirmation 
is expressed by lifting the right hand and eyes toward 
heaven, or by laying the right hand open upon the 
breast, the voice is low, solemn and deliberate. 
Should the affirmation be made in the cause of an 
injured friend, then sentiment and rage will add 
energy to all the gestures. The voice becomes more 
loud, the words are uttered more quickly and the face 
assumes the expression of confidence and firmness. 

AGGRESSIVE CLASS. 

Opposition. — Opposition arises when our rights 
have been invaded, or our honor insulted. It is our 
safe-guard and protects us in the enjoyment of lawful 
rights. It springs from the simple excitemental state 
of the instinct of Combativeness. When passionate, 
it leads to contradiction for the pleasure which it 
brings. The remarks or conduct of an opponent are 
criticized in order to induce that opponent to reply, 
and thus afford food for opposition. The orator can 
make good use of the emotion of opposition by en- 
listing its power in behalf of his cause, or by sooth- 
ing its resistive spirit when arrayed against him. In 
every audience there are men who will oppose every 
principle or measure, no matter how clearly and truly 
these principles are presented, simply because they 
think it is a sign of superior ability to be one of the 
opposite side ; or it gives them pleasure to be contrary. 

When an orator is called upon to advocate a cause 
which he knows will arouse opposition in the minds 
of the majority of those who listen to his remarks, he 



140 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

should proceed with extreme caution and use lan- 
guage and arguments which will soothe rather than 
irritate this feeling. Proceeding cautiously and 
wisely from the least objectionable arguments to 
those which are manifestly acceptable to all, he may 
at last, on the basis of those already acknowledged, 
reason boldly, enunciate his views though contrary to 
the opinions of the men he addresses. It requires 
adroit skill and much individual tact and patience to 
manage a rebellious audience. Some speakers have 
inadvertently destroyed entirely the influence of their 
oratory, and even been forced to retire from the ros- 
trum without a hearing by the injudiciousness of 
their opening remarks. A speaker, while expressing 
due estimation of the opinions of his opponents, 
must not show a vacillating spirit, or a tendency to 
give up his own opinion rightly formed, through fear, 
or in order to gain the good will of his audience, for 
such a spirit will be fatal, since it will thus inflame in 
their minds the very feeling which he wishes to allay 
— the feeling • of opposition. Heroes love foemen 
worthy of their steel, and so, also, opponents when 
arrayed in the field of argument, respect a fearless 
advocate. A calm, courageous bearing, and a judi- 
cious selection of arguments will lead the minds of 
the strongest antagonists to such a state of receptivity 
that the most objectionable opinions can be forcibly 
and even defiantly enunciated, producing awe and 
admiration rather than opposition. Perhaps no bet- 
ter example of the skillful use and arrangement of ar- 
guments in order to allay the heated opposition of an 
excited mob can be found than that followed by Mark 
Antony in his speech over the dead body of his 
friend Caesar. At the very opening of his oration he 
does not attempt to impugn the motives of the mur- 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 141 

der of his friend, or even declare his intention to 
make a speech in his praise. He addresses his audi- 
ence by the most conciliatory and endearing names — 
"Friends, Bornans, countrymen." As a friend, aKoman, 
and a countryman, he desires them to lay aside their 
animosity and give him a respectful hearing. He then 
declares truths which they are willing to acknowledge, 
and craftily and wisely removes all the charges made 
against Caesar, by Brutus and others, only indirectly 
slurring their motives by a peculiar emphasis on the 
word "honorable." He appeals to their former love 
and admiration for Caesar, and asks them why they 
have lost that love. He shows that even up to his 
death Caesar had not forgotten them, and desires 
permission to read his last will and testament. Their 
curiosity is eagerly excited and they are impatient to 
hear the will read. He further inflames their curiosity 
and stirs up resentment against Caesar's murderers by 
a pretended refusal to read the will for fear such a 
reading goes beyond the free permission of the 
honorable men whose daggers have stabbed Caesar. 
This artful juxtaposition of the honorable motives and 
murderous deeds of the enemies of Caesar has more 
effect than if he had called them out-and-out mur- 
derers. It implies far more than is expressed, and 
his audience is not slow to catch the hidden meaning, 
for they vehemently declare that Caesar's murderers 
were traitors, at the same time slurring the word 
"honorable" in such a way as to show that they 
thought it an outrage of every sentiment of justice 
and right to apply so elevated a term to Caesar's 
murderers. Having gained their intellectual judg- 
ment in favor of Caesar and brought their emotional 
nature to the brink of action, he next craftily pro- 
ceeds to fan the sentiments of love, pity, compassion, 



142 ELOCUTION AND OKATOKY. 

gratitude and love of country into uncontrollable pas- 
sion. In this way he has gained complete control of 
his audience. They stand ready for action. His ob- 
ject is now to inflame the aggressive and executive 
passions, and thus complete the work of mutiny ; he 
therefore boldly calls the slayers of Caesar murder- 
ers and traitors, which, if he had done at the opening 
of his discourse, would have raised such a spirit of 
opposition in the minds of those who heard him as 
would have entirely defeated his purpose. Now he 
can play with his audience as he wills, but still he is 
not forgetful of his promise to Brutus and the other 
conspirators that he should speak nothing of a nature 
to enrage the multitude against them ; he therefore 
artfully strives to allay the rising mutiny, at the same 
time saying just such things as will increase a 
rebellious spirit. He claims to be no orator and 
wishes that he had the tongue of Brutus, in order that 
he might more forcibly tell how Caesar loved Borne 
and her citizens ; and if such were the case the 
wrongs of Caesar would be so eloquently set forth 
that the very stones of Borne would rise in mutiny. 
This allusion to the word mutiny excites in the citi- 
zens an uncontrollable passion. They shout : "We 
will mutiny ; we will burn the house of Brutus !" All 
this time so artfully had Antony led them on from 
cool, deliberate judgment, emotional fervor, and then 
to passionate excitement, that they were ready to do 
his will at any moment, and even lost sight of that 
which a few moments ago had awakened their curios- 
ity and self-interest — the will. "What marvellous 
skill ! What astounding knowledge of the human 
heart, its passions, emotions and prejudices did An- 
tony thus display. The men, who at the opening of 
his oration, only permitted him to speak through a 



THE EESISTIVE CLASS. 143 

feeling of pity for him because he was a friend of 
Caesar, and who stood glowing- with admiration and 
love for Brutus, devoted to the cause of the conspir- 
ators and persuaded that Caesar was a cruel tyrant, 
an ambitious ruler, a foe to liberty and an enemy to 
Rome, were now eagerly gathering around Antony, 
shouting vengeance, fire and mutiny ; and he could 
only allay their passionate excitement by calling their 
attention to the will of Caesar. 

The reading of the will was the climax. Every 
passion in the human breast was all aglow with ex- 
citement and ready for action. The love emotions, 
the aggressive and destructive passions were as hot 
as a furnace. It was now his aim to arouse the sel- 
fish instincts, and this he accomplished by the reading 
of the will, which declared that the possessions of 
Caesar were given for the benefit of Rome and the 
welfare of its citizens. Thus every stigma was re- 
moved from the name of Caesar. Instead of a bloody 
tyrant and ambitious ruler, Antony had shown him to 
be a patriot and philanthropist of the highest order. 
The effect was electric. Every man seized whatever 
weapons stood in his way, benches, windows, fire- 
brands, everything, and soon the streets of Rome 
were a scene of rebellion. 

Love of Contention. — Love of contention is merely 
a more passionate state of the emotion of opposition. 
The latter is defensive but the former is aggresive. 
The contentious man seeks a quarrel, and delights in 
contradicting every argument advanced by friend or 
foe. He loves debate and strife dearly and will take 
the opposite side even if contrary to his own opin- 
ions. The best way to win him is to argue on the 
opposite side and then he will avail himself of every 
argument to defeat you. 



144 ELOCUTION AND OKATORY. 

Language. — The controvers : alist indulges frequent- 
ly in the language of negation. He shakes the head 
laterally and frowns slightly. Sometimes he throws 
the hand and arm away from his body as if rejecting 
the arguments. He shows signs of impatience when 
an opponent is speaking, and feigns weariness, as if 
the arguments were not worth listening to. Occa- 
sionally he interrupts the discourse by denying some 
statement just made, and thus renders it difficult to 
proceed. 

In contention the voice is sharp, clear and ringing; 
emphasis abrupt, movement quick, radical stress, and 
falling inflection; pitch generally high, and force im- 
passioned. 

Pugnacity. — Pugnacity is a more passionate form 
of opposition than love of contention It is displayed 
by boxers, prize-fighters and in all gladiatorial con- 
tests ; the language is the same as love of contention, 
but more violent and aggressive. 

Defiance. — Defiance is another name for an emo- 
tional state of the propensity of combativeness. It is a 
noble emotion and arises when we have sustained in- 
jury or when our honor or abilities have been im- 
pugned. In such cases combativeness aided by 
self-esteem and firmness boldly challenges the as- 
sailant. It can be skillfully employed in oratory to 
advance an advocate's cause ; for men in general are 
oftentimes captured by an audacious statement, To 
defy an opponent, to adduce proof of his statements, 
or to deny the veracity of your own arguments is an 
appeaL which has great weight and is often more con- 
vincing than a lengthened discussion; it gives the 
impression that the arguments are so self-evident that 
they cannot be refuted. 

The emotion of defiance expresses itself by an au- 



THE KESISTIVE CLASS. 145 

dacious and even intemperate use of language. The 
words are full of snap, energy, and exaggeration. The 
gestures are bold and imperious, body held erect and 
a little thrown back, the neck stiff and the head firm. 
The lower extremities, including the limbs and feet, 
are braced and seem rooted to the ground. The 
motions of the arms are made away from the body, or 
thrown folded across the breast, The countenance is 
firm and confident, the brows knit, and the expression 
bold and resolute. The tones of the voice have a 
slightly aspirated, orotund quality, impassioned force, 
radical stress, high pitch, and the rising and falling 
inflections in rapid sucession. 

Malcolm. Perish my name if aught afford 

Its chieftain safety, save his sword ! 

What in the world he is, 
That names me traitor, villain-like he lies : 
On Am, on you, — WHO NOT ?— I will maintain, 
My truth and lionor firmly. 

Indignation. — Indignation arises when we have 
been slighted, injured or when our rights have been 
ignored. There is a sense of offended justice as well 
as the desire to punish in the emotion of indignation. 
The Bible speaks of a moral indignation when it de- 
clares "Be ye angry, but let not the sun go down on 
your wrath." There is a righteous indignation which 
an orator may manifest against the dishonest opposi- 
tion of his opponent, or the avowal of immoral or un- 
just principles. Such an indignation will add per- 
suasiveness to his arguments. The language of in- 
dignation is the same as the emotions of defiance 
and courage, with tones of reproach and anger. 

Chatham's indignation against the employment of 
Indians in the American war : 



146 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



These abominable principles, and this more abominable avow- 
al of them, demand the most decisive indignation. I call upon 
that right reverend and this most learned Bench to vindicate the 
religion of their God, to defend and support the justice of their 
country. I call upon the bishops to interpose the unsullied sanc- 
tity of their law ; upon the judges to interpose the purity of their 
ermine, to save us from this pollution. 

Courage. — Courage is an ennobling sentiment. It 
springs from the combative faculty and supports all 
the other feelings. There is moral courage as well 
as physical, there is a heroism which manifests it- 




COURAGEOUS AND MARTIAL. 

self in the most peaceful as well as in the most war- 
like times. True courage despises brutality, and is 
associated with honor and generosity. Energetic na- 
tures are full of courage. 

Language. — The movements of the body are decid- 
ed and vigorous. Attitude erect and commanding, 
countenance full of vitality. The chest expanded, 



THE BESISTIVE CLASS. 147 

neck held erect, chin elevated, eyes expressive of en- 
ergy, and the head thrown a little to one side in the 
direction of the combative propensity. The voice 
has a clear, ringing, orotund quality, loud, high and 
animated utterance, swelling, medial stress, and fall- 
ing inflections. 

Richaed's Addeess to his Aemt. 
Fight, gentleman of England ! fight, bold ye5men 
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head : 
Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood ; 
Amaze the welkin with your broken staves. — 
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom : 
Advance our standards, set upon our foes ! 
Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George, 
Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons ! 
Upon them ! Victory sits on our helms. 
Strike for the sires who left you free ! 
Strike for their sakes who bore you ! 
Strike for your home and liberty, 
And the Heaven you worship, o'er you ! 

Martial Ardor or Love of War. — Martial ardor is a 
passionate state of the propensity of combativeness. 
Combativeness in its simple excitemental state gives 
rise to a feeling of resistance, in its emotional state to 
opposition, contention and pugnacity,and in its pas- 
sionate state to a feeling of love of war. In the latter 
state every mode of resistance formerly employed in 
self-defence is now sought with joyful gratification. 
Field sports, prize contests, gladiatorial shows and 
combats of every description are witnessed with in- 
tense delight by men under the influence of this 
passion. The beat of the drum, the ringing notes of the 
trumpet, the shrill pibroch have an irresistible influ- 
ence, and the flash of the sabre and the ring of the rifle 
are overmastering fascination. Narratives of adven- 



148 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ture, heroic deeds, and naval and military battles are 
read with eagerness. They long for war and thirst for 
military glory. In peaceful times, men under the in- 
fluence of this passion, when not directed by the in- 
tellect and the moral emotion, find gratification in 
raising street broils or domestic quarrels ; and when 
the executive and destructive passions are also aroused 
commit deeds of bloodshed and devastation. Novelists 
and poets have drawn their chief inspiration from 
this passion, and by their exaggerated description of 
heroes and battles have invested war with attractive 
splendor. Hence for many centuries war has been 
regarded as a very honorable occupation, and count- 
less thousands have thronged around military stand- 
ards with ardor and alacrity. Soldiers under the 
maddening influence of this passion will march up to 
the very muzzle of the cannon, rush on the sharp- 
pointed bayonets and glory in the shock of battle 
even though instant death awaits them. As an ora- 
torical passion its influence has been all powerful. 

In every age orators have aroused men to action 
by eloquent appeals to their martial ardor. A simple 
hermit, aged, weak, and unlearned, by eloquent 
words addressed to this passion and to the emotion 
of veneration, united nations, organized armies on 
the grandest scale ever known in history and insti- 
tuted a war which drained Europe of her treasures, 
reduced her nobles and kings to beggary and lasted 
for two hundred years. The grandest flights of elo- 
quence found in the orations of Demosthenes, 
iEschines Cicero, Chatham, and Patrick Henry, are 
addressed to the aggressive and resistive emotions. 
As these emotions stir men to action, inspire them 
with boldness and ardor in defending whatever cause 
they espouse, the orator can enlist them in aid of his 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 149 

principles. To fight in battle is not always necessary, 
but to contend for principles and overcome obstacles 
will be often required, and the aggressive emotions 
are the fit instruments for this purpose. So the ora- 
tor should not only cultivate these emotions in himself 
but also endeavor to awaken them in his audience. 

Language. — Martial ardor expresses itself in a 
variety of actions. It assumes the language of all 
the aggressive emotions and intensifies them. The 
attitudes of the body are noble and commanding. 
The chest is expanded, the head held erect and tossed 
from side to side with a defiant air. In every move- 
ment there is activity combined with strength. The 
step is firm and the heel of the boot strikes the pave- 
ment with a sharp, ringing sound. The stride is mili- 
tary and the walk bold and fearless. In walking, 
there is a tendency to throw the head a little back- 
ward and reclining to one side. The eyes gleam with 
passion and gaze steadily at the opponent. The 
lines of courage start in furrows on the brow, and 
the lips assume a sharp expression. When objects 
which excite the passion are present it glows with ir- 
resistible activity. The beat of a drum, the sound of 
a trumpet, the sight of a regiment of soldiers 
makes the heart beat rapidly, and an intense feeling 
of energy takes possession of the whole man. Deeds 
of heroism flow in upon the soul, and if the sounds 
continue there is an irresistible tendency to follow 
where they lead. Some men cannot resist the beat of 
the recruiting sergeant's drum and voluntarily enlist 
in the army. If the passion is intense, the person 
will be fond of hearing and telling anecdotes of war, 
and his speech will glow with the most ennobling 
epithets in praise of warlike deeds. There is a fear- 



150 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

less joy, an almost superhuman rapture that thrills 
every nerve when this x^assion is active in the human 
breast. As young Sparta cus said : "When my grand- 
sire, an old man, was telling of Marathon and 
Leuctra and how in ancient times a little band of 
Spartans in a defile of the mountains had withstood 
a whole array, I did not know what war was, but my 
cheeks burned, I knew not why. and I clasped the 
knees of that venerable man until my mother, parting 
the hair froin off my forehead, kissed my throbbiug 
temples, and bade me go to rest and think no more 
of those old tales and savage wars." 

In war, soldiers goaded on by this passion will ad- 
vance to the charge, half mad with joy, and close in 
with the enemy, shouting their war-cries ; or its ardor 
may be too intense for utterance and vents its energy 
on the opposing host in appalling silence ; but when 
the victory is gained the cheers and shouts born of 
this passion are uttered in the wildest ecstacies of joy. 

The tones of the voice are loud, high and impas- 
sioned ; explosive, orotund, or clear, ringing quality 
prevails. The utterance is rapid and is characterized 
by radical or vanishing stress and falling inflection. 

Othello Bros Faeewell to War. 
Oth. O, now, forever 

Farewell the tranquil mind ! farewell content ! 
Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars 
That make ambition virtue ! O, farewell ! 
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, 
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing life, 
The royal banner, and all quality. 
Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war I 
And, O you mortal engines, whose rude throats 
The immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit, 
Farewell ! Othello's occupation's gone ! 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 151 

EXAMPLES OF THE WAR PASSION. 



The Heemit Kindles the Wae-passion in Young Noeval's 
Beeast. 
And, ent'ring on discourses, such stories told 
As made me oft revisit his sad cell. 
For he had been a soldier in his youth ; 
And fought in famous battles, when the Peers 
Of Europe, by the bold Godfredo led, 
Against th' usurping Infidel display'd 
The blessed Cross, and won the Holy Land. 
Pleas' d with my admiration, and the fire 
His speech struck from me, the old man would shake 
His years away, and act his young encounters : 
Then, having shew'd his wounds, he'd sit him down 
And all the live-long day discourse of war. 
To help my fancy, in the smooth green turf 
He cut the figures of the marshal' d hosts ; 
Describ'd the motions, and explain'd the use 
Of the deep column, and the lengthen'd line, 
The square, the crescent, and the phalanx firm. 
For all the Saracen or Christian knew 
Of war's vast art, was to this hermit known. 

Dr. Howe's play of Douglas 

The Feuits of Wae. 

Lady Rand. Alas ! my Lord ! I've heard unwelcome news ; 
The Danes are landed. 

Lord Rand. Ay, no inroad this 
Of the Northumbrian bent to take a spoil : 
No sportive war, no tournament essay 
Of some young knight resolv'd to break a spear, 
And stain with hostile blood his maiden arms. 
The Danes are landed : we must beat them back, 
Or live the slaves of Denmark. 

Lady Rand. Dreadful times ! 

Lord Rand. The fenceless villages are all forsaken ; 
The trembling mothers and their children lodg'd 
In wall-girt towers and castles ; whilst the men 
Retire indignant. Yet, like broken waves 
They but retire more awful to return. 



152 ELOCUTION AND 6RAT0&Y. 

Lady Rand. Immense, as fame reports, the Danish host 

Lord Rand. Were it as numerous as loud fame reports, 

An army knit like ours would pierce it thro' : 

Brothers, that shrink not from each other's side, 

And fond companions, fill our warlike files : 

For his dear offspring, and the wife he loves, 

The husband, and the fearless father arm. 

In vulgar breasts heroic ardor burns, 

And the poor peasant mates his daring lord. 
Lady Rand. Men's minds are temper'd like their swords for 
war ; 

"Lovers of danger, on destruction's brink 

"They joy to rear erect their daring forms. 

"Hence, early grave ; hence, the lone widow's life, 

"And the sad mother's grief-embitter'd age." 

— Br. Howe. 



THE IRASCIBLE AND MALIGN CLASS OF EMOTIONS AND 
PASSIONS. 

Anger. — Anger is a malevolent feeling ; it is a desire 
to put some one to pain. The objects of the feeling 
are persons, especially those who have caused pain in 
ourselves or in those we love. Anger is a very pow- 
erful feeling in the human constitution. In its most 
malignant form there is even a satisfaction in inflict- 
ing pain on others. In this passion all the vital 
organs are excessively excited. Vigorous circulation 
of the blood and tremendous activity of all the func- 
tions which influence the will are the accompaniments 
of anger. 

La?iguage. — The language of this passion is highly 
expressive. When anger is induced the activity is so 
great that it must find an outlet somewhere. If the 
person who has been the cause of the pain is not 
within the power of vengeance, anger vents itself upon 
inanimate things, kicking chairs, stools, pricking 
horses and other defenceless animals. The Jews ex- 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 153 

plode their anger by tearing their garments. Under 
moderate anger the action of the heart is a little 
increased, the color heightened and the eyes gleam. 
The respiration is also hurried, the nostrils are 
raised, the brow frowns, the mouth is generally 
compressed. The eyes are fierce, the head is carried 
erect, the chest well expanded, the feet firmly planted 
on the ground. The whole attitude is one of readi- 
ness for attacking and striking an enemy. The arms 
may be held in various positions, with the elbows 
squared or with the arms rigidly held by the sides, 
and the fist clenched. The voice is loud, high, harsh 
and guttural. The utterance is abrupt, quick and 
explosive, and is characterized by radical, or vanish- 
ing stress and falling inflection. 

Villains ! you did not threat, when your vile daggers 

Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar ! 

You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds, 

And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet ; 

Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind, 

Struck Caesar on the neck. — Oh ! flatterers ! 

— Shakespeare. 



Lorn, [about to assault Bruce.] Talk not to me 
Of odds or match ! — "When Coniyn died 
Three daggers clashed within his side I 
Talk not to me of sheltering hall ! — 
The Church of God saw Comyn fall ! 
On God's own altar streamed his blood ; 
While o'er my prostrate kinsman stood 
The ruthless murderer, even as now, — 
With armed hand and scornful brow. 
Up ! all who love me ! — blow for blow ! 
And lay the outlawed felons low ! 

—Scott. 



154 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



Rage. — Bage is a more intense form of anger. The 
person in whose breast rage dwells seems to have 
lost all self-control. 

Language.— The expression of rage is about the 
same as anger but more intensified. The face is pur- 
ple or red with accumulated blood, and though the 
action of the heart is increased yet it often becomes 
so much impeded by great rage that the countenance 
becomes pallid or livid. The respiration is vigor- 
ously affected, the chest heaves and the dilated nos- 
trils quiver. The gestures of the body are aggressive. 

The fists are clenched, the 
head held erect, the limbs 
are rigid, the arms are rais- 
ed to strike the offender. 
All the muscles are violent- 
ly strained. The eyes roll 
in fiery frenzy, the mouth 
is commonly closed with 
firmness, and the teeth 
grind together. The de- 
sire to strike some times 
becomes so uncontrollable 
that inanimate objects are dashed to the ground. 
When rage is awakened in a person who is weak or 
childish in intellect, it displays itself in a variety of 
useless gestures. Such persons roll on the ground, 
turning over and over again, and screaming, scratch- 
ing, kicking, or biting everything within reach. 

But sometimes the whole body is affected in a 
wholly different manner, especially in extreme rage. 
Then the body trembles, the lips are paralyzed, the 
voice sticks in the throat. The vocal organs quiver, 
stuttering sounds gurgle forth, the tones are loud, 
harsh, and discordant. In rapid utterance the mouth 




Kage. 



THE EESISTIVE CLASS. 155 

foams. The hair sometimes becomes bushy or 
bristles. There is as in the case of anger a deep 
frown on the forehead but at times the brow becomes 
smooth." The eyes are wide open with contracted 
pupils, and glisten with fire as they roll bloodshot 
through their sockets gorged with blood and seem 
about to burst the muscles which hold them. The 
veins of the neck swell, the temples throb, and the 
walk is frantic and violent. The voice runs through 
all the notes from the lowest whisper to the short 
shrill scream. The articulation is hard, the enuunci- 
ation husky, noisy and harsh. A sharp hissing 
sound accompanies the vocalization of the words. 
When all self-control is lost, there is the most furious 
gesticulation accompanied by screams, shouts, and 
hysterical laughter. 

Othello's Jealous Rage. 
Oth. If thou dost slander her and torture me, 

Never pray more ; abandon all remorse ; 

On horror's head horrors accumulate ; 

Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amazed ; 

For nothing canst thou to damnation add 

Greater than that. 



You common cry of curs ! whose breath I hate 
As reek o' the rotten fens, — whose loves I prize 
As the dead carcasses of unburied men, 
That do corrupt my air, — /banish you / 



Yengeance or Revenge — This is a terrible passion 
and partakes of all the characteristics of rage, anger, 
and indignation but differs from these in the fact 
that the pain intended to be inflicted has been pre- 
meditated. Rage and anger are more impromptu, but 
vengeance is deep-rooted hatred purposely enter- 
tained and waiting an opportunity to let loose its ma- 



156 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

lignity. In the act of exploding the accumulated 
wrath, vengeance may take on all the forms of ex- 
pression detailed under anger, but the feeling is often 
concealed under a cloak of hypocrisy, in which case 
many of the signs of anger will be suppressed. The 
cowardly man hides his revenge under a calm ex- 
terior. His looks are deceptive, a bitter smile plays 
on his lips, his step is soft and noiseless, manners 
insinuating, and his speech daubed with honey. 
Calumny is his most powerful weapon. With Jesu- 
itical casuistry he plods and perseveres. He insinu- 
ates his hatred into more noble minds and urges 
them on to take vengeance for him. Iago, and Glen- 
alvon are examples of this passion. 

Revenge. 

" If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath 
disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million ; laughed at my 
losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bar- 
gains, cooled my friends, heated my enemies. And what's his 
reason ? I am a Jew ! Hath not a Jew eyes ? Hath not a Jew 
hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions ? Is he not 
fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to 
the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled 
by the same summer and winter, as a Christian is ? If you stab 
us, do we not bleed ? If you tickle us, do we not laugh ? If you 
poison us, do we not die ? And if you wrong us, shall we not 
revenge ? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in 
that. If a Jew'wrong a Christian, what is his humility ? Revenge. 
If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by 
Christian example ? Why, revenge. The villainy you teach me, 
I will execute ; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruc- 
tion. 

Hateed. 
Here I devote your senate I I've had wrongs, 
To stir a fever in the blood of age, 
Or make the infant's sinews strong as steel. 
This day's the birth of sorrows ! This hour's work 

/ 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 157 

Will breed proscriptions. — Look to your hearths my lord 
For therewith henceforth shall sit, for household gods, 
Shapes hot from Tartarus ! All shames and crimes ; " 
Wan Treachery, with his thirsty dagger drawn ; 
Suspicion, poisoning his brother's cup ; 
Naked Rebellion, with the torch and axe, 
Making his wild sport of your blazing thrones ; 
Till Anarchy come down on you like Night, 
And Massacre seal Rome's eternal grave !" 



Hatred. — Hatred is a mild form of anger. It 
springs from dislike. Some one does us an injury or 
stands in the way of our advancement and so 
incurs our hatred. The language of ill-temper 
expresses hatred in the mild form, but when we re- 
flect on the injuries perpetrated, hatred may become 
anger, in which case many of the gestures for that 
passion will be its appropriate language. 

If the person whom we dislike is insignificant then 
our hatred is expressed by simple disdain or con- 
tempt; but if powerful our hatred may become terror. 

Queen Anne's Curse on Riohaed. 
Cursed be the hand that made these fatal holes I 
Cursed be the heart that had the heart to do it ! 
Cursed the blood that let this blood from hence ! 
More direful hap betide that hateful wretch, 
That makes us wretched by the death of thee, 
Than I can wish to adders, spiders, toads, 
Or an}^ creeping venom'd thing that lives! 
If ever he have child, abortive be it, 
Prodigious and untimely brought to light, 
Whose ugly and unnatural aspect 
May fright the hopeful mother at the view ; 
And that be heir to his unhappiness ! 
If ever he have wife, let her be made 
As miserable by the death of him 
As I am made by my poor lord and thee. 



158 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

Antipathy. — Antipathy is a more deep-rooted feel- 
ing than hatred. Fear has much to do with its inten- 
sity. We manifest antipathy against poisonous rep- 
tiles probably because we fear them. Anything which 
is associated with fear and disgust excites antipathy. 
Race peculiarities, differences in religious creeds or 
worldly station excite antipathy. The repugnance 
thus engendered is a powerful factor in revenge. As 
examples of hated races the Jews and Irish are pro- 
minent. The Persian race was hated by the Greek. 
Religious antipathy may be observed among the 
various Christian sects. 



IMPRECATION. 

When we have suffered injury from persons who 
are so strong and influential that we cannot inflict 
punishment upon them we express our indignation in 
imprecations. We wish that evil may attend them 
and that their ill-gotten power may be a trap to them. 
Cursing, prophesying ill, and evil wishing are forms 
of imprecation. The language is the same as hatred 
and revenge, but checked in mid- volley by the con- 
sciousnesi that it is not in our power to carry out our 
threats. The brows are strongly knit and drawn 
down, the eyelids fall over the eyes in such a way 
that the eyes appear half shut, but the visible portion 
is full of lurking and intense hatred. The counte- 
nance has the expression of restrained vengeance 
waiting an opportunity to scathe and lacerate the 
hated one. The tones of the voice are harsh, pecto- 
ral, and guttural. The utterance is impeded by the 
intensity of the passion, and the words are hissed be- 
tween the teeth. When the person prospers after the 
imprecation, the imprecator grinds his teeth and 



THE EESISTIVE CLASS. 159 

draws his mouth from side to side in impotent rage 
at his disappointment. 

Queen Anne Ctjeses Gloucester. 
Anne. Foul devil, for God's sake, hence, and trouble us 
not; 
For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell, 
Fill'd it with cursing cries and deep exclaims. 
If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds, 
Behold this pattern of thy butcheries. 
O, gentlemen, see, see ! dead Henry's wounds 
Open their congeal'd mouths and bleed afresh ! 
Blush, blush, thou lump of foul deformity ; 
For 'tis thy presence that exhales this blood 
From cold and empty veins, where no blood dwells : 
Thy deed, inhuman and unnatural, 
Provokes this deluge most unnatural, 
O God, which this blood madest, revenge his death. 



Envy. — This is one of the malignant passions. It 
is complex, the elements being the propensity of de- 
structiveness acting in sympathy with offended self- 
esteem, a love of approbation or some other wounded 
sentiment. Our pride, for example, leads us to mag- 
nify our abilities and when somebody steps ahead of 
us into a position which we had desired we envy that 
person. There our self-esteem is evidently wounded, 
and destructiveness is ready to supply an element of 
hatred for the person who has thwarted our ambition. 
So also in our eager desire for the good opinion or 
favors of others there may spring up causes of envy. 
If some other person steps in and becomes more of a 
favorite than ourselves with the person we love, envy 
will arise in our minds. We wish that we had the 
manners, talent, natural ability which our sup- 
planter possesses. This brooding over his superior 
graces and our inferior endowments kindles in our 




160 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

hearts a strong dislike for him, his manners, and his 
accomplishments which may become a feeling of in- 
tense hatred. We are then inclined to disparage 
those very graces which have won him success, and 
take every opportunity to misrepresent his actions or 
speak slightingly of his accomplishments. Envy is 

a mean, skulking, despicable 
feeling and nourishes most 
powerfully in secret. It hides 
its head under a mask of 
friendship. Hypocrisy is the 
twin sister of envy and ren- 
ders her effectual aid. An en- 
\k. vious rival always assumes a 
Sf^r ,/A> ^ double face ; he flatters with 

Envious. the tongue but wounds with 

his hands. He pretends to speak for your interest, 
but so words his thoughts that a double meaning is 
conveyed. 

An envious man is the meanest, most dangerous 
enemy one can have. While by his half-praising 
tone he ingratiates himself into the hearts of others, 
giving them the impression that he is a friend, yet he 
deals more deadly blows at your character or reputa- 
tion than your most outspoken enemy, because from 
his profuse language of praise, those who listen to 
him are inclined to believe he is a friend and so re- 
gard all that he says as spoken through genuine 
honesty. Iago is a correct representative of the en- 
vious character ; he artfully betrays Othello to his 
own destruction by pretending to give advice as a 
friend. The envious man has a keen desire to 
possess what he sees in others, especially what ele- 
vates others in position and influence. When the 
envious man is off his guard he betrays his feelings. 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 161 

When he hears of his rival's success, or hears him 
praised, he becomes pale, or if bitterly disappointed 
he draws down his visage and bites his lip. He then 
tries to disparage the achievement, or the character 
of the person by attributing his success to other 
causes than his own natural talents. When he meets 
his rival he will, however, change his tone of dis- 
paragement to one of praise in order that he may 
take an unfair advantage at some future time. It is 
very common for an envious man to disparage an 
eminent rival, by opposing to him men of inferior 
accomplishments as more worthy of praise and honor. 
The envious man is always restless and never happy, 
the faintest whisper of praise bestowed upon others 
causes a thrill of vexation to chill his heart. His 
look is generally downcast, mournful, repining, or 
disappointed. Hence the attitudes of body will be 
restless, the countenance anxious, troubled and 
cloudy, the glance of the eye sharp and biting, and 
the lips sometimes curled with a derisive sneer. 

The tones of the voice are insinuating ; the quality 
changes, at times smooth and persuasive, when the 
mask of friendship is assumed ; at other times harsh 
and guttural, when his hateful schemes are successful. 
The rate of utterance, stress, and inflection are calcu- 
lated and cautiously given. 

The character of Iago is drawn by Shakespeare full 
of hypocrisy, envy and hatred. 
Iago Declares his Envy of Cassio and Hatred of Othello. 

Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate, 

Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city, 
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, 
Off-capp'd to him : and, by the faith of man, 
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place : 
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, 



162 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Evades them, with a bombast circumstance 

Horribly stuff' d with epithets of war ; 

And, in conclusion, 

Nonsuits my mediators; for, " Certes," says he, 

'' I have already chose my officer." 

And what was he ? 

Forsooth, a great arithmetician, 

One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, 

A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife ; 

That never set a squadron in the field, . 

Nor the division of a battle knows 

More than a spinster ; unless the bookish theoric, 

Wherein the toged consuls can propose 

As masterly as he : mere prattle, without practice, 

Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election : 

And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof 

At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds 

Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd 

By debitor and creditor : this counter-caster, 

He, in good time, must his lieutenant be, 

And I — God bless the mark! — his Moorship's ancient. 

Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. 

Iago. Why, there's no remedy : 'tis the curse of service, 
Preferment goes by letter and affection, 
And not by old gradation, where each second 
Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself, 
Whether I in any just term am affined 
To love the Moor. 

Rod. I would not follow him then. 

Iago. O, sir, content you : 
I follow him to serve my turn upon him : 
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters 
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark 
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave, 
That, doting on his own obsequious bondage, 
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass, 
For nought but provender, and when he's old cashier'd : 
Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are 
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty, 
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves. 



THE BESISTIYE CLASS. 163 

And, throwing but shows of service on their lords, 
Do well thrive by them and when they have lined their coats, 
Do themselves homage ; these fellows have some soul ; 
And such a one do I profess myself. 



Malice. — Malice is deep-rooted hatred long cher- 
ished and waiting* an opportunity to vent itself in 
cruel deeds upon its object. This hateful passion 
sends blasting, envious flashes from the eyes, hardens 
the features, firmly sets the jaws or grinds the teeth, 
stretches the mouth horizontally, curls the lips up- 
ward, showing the teeth, and bends the elbows with 
the fists clenched in a straining manner to the body. 
Yoice is harsh, pectoral, guttural and aspirated; the 
words are hissed or snarled through the teeth. 

Jealousy. — Jealousy shows itself in many different 
kinds of actions, but these actions are in harmony 
with the thoughts. When the mind is anxious then 
the actions are peevish and restless. Every allusion 
to the subject which causes our jealousy irritates us 
We suspect everybody, even those who give us infor- 
mation. Tears gleam in the eye and the voice weeps, 
and these quickly give place to elevating expressions 
if we catch a gleam of hope. But hopeful thoughts 
soon give place to gloomy forebodings, frightful im- 
aginations and rash suspicions. With raging fury 
the jealous man tortured by these passions runs to 
and fro like a madman. The arms move with great 
violence, the hands are clenched, and the bloodshot 
eyes dart hatred and revenge. Woe to those who 
stand in his way when he thus rages, his very friends 
and informants will be swept before the torrent of his 
wrath. Again, reflection and the memory of past 
scenes of love and happiness may for a time sit dove- 
like brooding over his troubled soul, and he seems 



164 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



to hear the beloved one protest her innocence and 
cry for mercy. But the darker passions of the soul 
swell irresistibly and flood the calmer thoughts with 
streams drawn from the polluted lakes of hell. "She 
is false as she is fair!" bursts from his passion-purpled 
lips, and in a moment of racking agony, loathsome 




Jealousy. 

hate and bitter grief he sheathes his dagger in the 
breast of the woman he loves. 

The tones of the voice are rapidly changeful ; at 
times plaintive and broken, at other times full of ha- 
tred, loathing and anger ; sometimes they are loud, 
explosive, abrupt, then again weak and despairing. 
Othello's Jealousy. 

Iago. And did you see the handkerchief ? 

Oth. Was that mine ? 

Iago. Yours, by this hand ; and to see how he prizes the fool- 
ish woman your wife ! she gave it him, and he hath given it his 
whore. 



THE RESISTIVE CLASS. 165 

Oth. I would have him nine years a-killing. A fine woman j 
a fair woman ! a sweet woman ! 

Iago. Nay, you must forget that. 

Oth. Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night ; fcr 
she shall not live : no, my heart is turned to stone ; I strike it, and 
it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature : she 
might lie by an emperor's side and command him tasks. 

Iago. Nay, that's not your way. 

Oth. Hang her ! I do but say what she is : so delicate with her 
needle : an admirable musician : O ! she will sing the savageness 
out of a bear : of so high and plenteous wit and invention : — 

Iago. She's the worst for all this. 

Oth. O, a thousand thousand times : and then, of so gentle a 
condition. 

Iago. Ay, too gentle. 

Oth. Nay, that's certain : but yet the pity of it, Iago ! O Iago, 
the pity of it, Iago ! 

Iago. If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to 
offend ; for, if it touch not you, it comes near nobody. 

Oth. I will chop her into messes : cuckold me : 

Iago. O, 'tis foul in her. # 

Oth. With mine officer. 

Iago. That's fouler. 

Oth. Get me some poison, Iago ; this night : I'll not expostu- 
late with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again ; 
this night, Iago. 

Iago. Do it not with poison, strangle her in her bed, even the 
bed she hath contaminated. 



Othello Shows his Jealousy against Desdemona. 

Des. Cousin, there's fall'n between him and my lord 
An unkind breach : but you shall make all well. 

Oth. Are you sure of that ? 

Des. My lord ? 

Oth. [Reads] " This fail you not to do, as you will — ' 

Lod. He did not call ! he's busy in the paper. 
Is there no division 'twixt my lord and Cassio ? 

Des. A most unhappy one : I would do much 
To atone them, for the love I bear to Cassio. 

Oth. Fire and brimstone ! 

Des. My lord ? 



166 ELOCUTION AND OEA^OUY. 

Oth. Are you wise ? 

Des. What, is he angry ? 

Lod. May be the letter moved him ■, 

For, as I think, they do command him home, 
Deputing Cassio in his government. 

Des. Trust me, I am glad on't. 

Oth. Indeed ! 

Des. My lord ? 

Oth. I am glad to see you mad. 

Des. Why, sweet Othello, — 

Oth. [Striking her] Devil ! 

Des. I have not deserved this. 

Lod. My Lord, this would not be believed in Venice. 
Though I should swear I saw't ; 'tis very much : 
Make her amends : she weeps. 

Oth. O devil, devil ! 

If that the earth could teem with woman's tears, 
Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile. 
Out of my sight ! 

Des. I will not stay to offend you. [ Going. 

Lod. Truly, an obedient lady : 
I do beseech your lordship, call her back. 

Oth. Mistress ! 

Des, My lord ? 

Oth. What would you with her, sir ? 

Lod. Who, I, my lord ? 

Oth. Ay ; you did wish that I would make her turn: 
Sir, she can turn, and turn, and yet go on, 
And turn again ; and she can weep, sir, weep ; 
And she's obedient, as you say, obedient, 
Very obedient. Proceed you in your tears. 
Concerning this, sir — O well-painted passion ! — 
I am commanded home. Get you away; 
I'll send for you anon. Sir, I obey the mandate, 
And will return to Venice. Hence, avaunt ! 



Raillery, Irony or Sarcasm. — These emotions range 
from playful, innocent badinage to a spirit of mockery 
and contempt. In simple raillery the countenance is 



THE EESlSTIVE CLASS. 167 

cheerful, but changes its expression rapidly. The 
voice abounds in delicate rising circumflexes, pitched 
in moderately high keys. In irony and sarcasm 
there is a malicious expression in the eye as it glances 
laterally at the person who excites the emotion. 
The mouth has a sneering smile, the movements of the 
body are active and sometimes imitative of the per- 
son held in contempt, and the facial expression 
rapidly changes. The voice abounds in circumflexes 
and various keys. 

PLAYFUL EATLEET. 



The Critic. — Sterne. 
How did Garrick speak the soliloquy last night?" — " Oh ! 
against all rule, my lord, most ungraciously ! Between the sub- 
stantive and the adjective, which should agree together in num- 
ber, case, and gender, he made a breech thus — stopping, as if the 
point wanted settling ; and betwixt the nominative case, which 
your lordship knows, should govern the verb, he suspended his 
voice in the epilogue, a dozen times, three seconds and three 
fifths, by a stop-watch, my lord, each time." "Admirable gram- 
marian! — But, in suspending his voice, — was the sense suspended? 
Did no expression of attitude or countenance fill up the chasm ! — 
Was the eye silent ? Did you narrowly look?" — "Hooked only 
at the stop-watch, my lord !" — "Excellent observer ! 

SEKIOUS EATLLEEY. 



Menentus, to the Tribunes Brutus astd SiorNTus. — Shakespeare. 
You blame Marcius for being proud ? 
Brutus. "We do it not alone, sir. 

Men. I know you can do very little alone ; for your helps are 
many ; or else your actions would grow wondrous single ; your 
abilities are too infant-like for doing much alone. You talk of 
pride : Oh ! that you could turn your eyes towards the napes of 
your necks, and make but an interior survey of your good selves! 



CHAPTEK VI. 



GROUP OF PRECAUTIONARY EMOTIONS AND PASSIONS. 

The emotional states of the propensities of ac- 
quisitiveness, cautiousness and secretiveness form 
this group. It has three subdivisions. 

1. Acquisitive Class. Avarice or Greed of Accumu- 
lation, Covetousness. 

2. Precautionary Class. Watchfulness, Prudence, 
Timidity or Indecision, Suspicion, Alarm, Fear, 
Terror, Horror, Despair, or Despond8ncy. 

3. decretive Class. Secretiveness, Cunning, Sly- 
ness, Curiosity, Hypocrisy. 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECAUTIONARY 
GROUP. 

Mental. — The acquisitive and secretive class is 
mentally pleasurable. There is enjoyment felt in 
hoarding and secreting. The passionate states of 
the precautionary class are mentally painful. 

Physiological. — Vital action in the secretive and 
acquisitive class is moderately increased. In the 
passionate states of the precautionary class it is dim- 
inished. 

Expressional. — The expression of the countenance is 
not open, the facial muscles draw the features inward 
(168) 






PEECAUTIONAEY EMOTIONS. 169 

and downward. The attitudes of the body are cat- 
like, the body itself is made as small as possible. In 
the passionate states the body trembles and the 
person seeks refuge in flight. 

ACQUISITIVE CLASS. 

Avarice or Greed of Accumulation. — Avarice arises 
from the excessive and perverted activity of the pro- 
pensity of acquisitiveness. To provide for the future 
by the accumulation of wealth is a noble endeavor, 
but when this desire becomes an all-engrossing pas- 
sion it leads to mean and niggardly actions. The 
desire for money in the heart of the miser is so intense 
that he will resort to the most base and selfish prac- 
tices in order to amass it. The passion of avarice 
may be witnessed every day in some form or other 
among those who are engaged in the accumulation 
of property. The calculation of every cent, the sac- 
rifice of innocent and healthful pleasures, the neglect 
to perform acts of kindness in order to make the ac- 
cumulation as great as possible are only a few of the 
actions of an avaricious man. The expressions 
of this passion are those movements of the body 
and face which would be most likely to become 
habitual, because occurring in the daily occupations 
which have the accumulation of wealth as their aim. 
The body is bent or stooped. The walk is noiseless, 
the steps short, the hands move nervously. In all 
the attitudes there is an expression which seems to 
imply " quick to take and slow to give." A person 
who is avaricious is constantly in fear of penury. 
He always pleads poverty. Though he has abundance, 
he spends but little. The expression of his face is 
eager, thin, and grasping. All the lineaments of the 



170 ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 

features are flattened, drawn in, or pinched ; there is 
no frankness in the expression of the miser's face. 
In his business transactions he is selfish and often 
cruel, at times cowardly, always plodding and deceit- 
ful. The following lines faithfully portray a person 
under the influence of avarice. 

The Misee Counting his Gold. 

So, so! all safe ! Come forth, my pretty sparklers, — 
Come forth, and feast my eyes ! Be not afraid ! 
No keen-eyed agent of the government 
Can see you here. They wanted me, forsooth, 
To lend you, at the lawful rate of usance, 
For the state's needs. Ha, ha ! my shining pets, 
My yellow darlings, my sweet golden circlets ! 
Too well I loved you to do that — and so 
I pleaded poverty, and none could prove 
My story was not true. 

Ha ! could they see 
These bags of ducats, and that precious pile 
Of ingots, and those bars of solid gold 
Their eyes, methinks, would water. What a comfort 
Is it to see my moneys in a heap 
All safely lodged under my very roof ! 
Here's a fat bag — let me untie the mouth of it. 
What eloquence ! What beauty ! What expression ! 
Could Cicero so plead ? Could Helen look 
One half so charming. 



Covetousness resembles avarice, and what has 
been said under that passion applies to this. The 
special difference seems to be in the direction of the 
spirit of greed. An avaricious man may desire the 
possessions of others, but his principle aim is accu- 
mulation by his own or by the industry of others ; the 
covetous man, on the other hand, does not care for 
the things which he provides for himself, but would 
often have those of his neighbor. He looks with 



PEECAUTIONAEY EMOTIONS. 171 

longing eyes upon everything possessed by others 
and wishes that he possessed such things. 

Language. — This emotion gives a discontented, 
envious, and greedy look. It invests the property of 
others with more than actual value. The covetous 
man expresses himself in the language of desire. 
" Oh, I wish this was mine !" " Where did you get it?" 
"Could you obtain one for me? " " Won't you give it 
to me ?" " I guess I will take it home, you have no use 
for it ; it is just what I have been looking for." The 
hand fondles the coveted article, and the eye looks 
at it eagerly. Even when the article has been ex- 
amined sufficiently he retains it and surrenders it 
very unwillingly . When unobserved he even acts as if 
he would fain conceal or carry it away in his pocket ; 
if he is moved with hatred or a jealous envy of the 
possessor he will mutilate the object in order to 
diminish the joy which he fancies the possession 
brings to his rival. 

PRECAUTIONARY CLASS. 

Fear is a mental passion having its origin in the 
apprehension of danger. It springs from a preter- 
natural excitement of the propensity of cautiousness, 
induced by the presence of an object, real or imaginary, 
which threatens great harm to life, character, fortune, 
or reputation. It is a very violent passion and dom- 
inates the whole body and mind of man while it lasts. 
Its effect upon the constitution is exceedingly de- 
pressing. It has many degrees of excitement, from a 
simple state to one of extreme violence. These grades 
are known by the names, fear, terror, horror, despair. 

Fear in its simple condition resembles astonishment 
in some of the bodily gestures. The eyes are strained 
wide open and the attitudes of the body are in a con- 



172 



ELOCUTION AND OEATORY. 






dition of attention as in astonishment. The more 
violent states of fear depend upon the nearness and 
the magnitude of the danger. If the person suffering 
from fear has committed murder, and punishment is 
near, he will be thrown into a violent state of terror. 
If some dreadful calamity has just occurred which 
has destroyed many dear friends and from which the 
person himself has barely escaped, then the state of 
fear wil be one of horror. Fear may be skillfully 
employed in oratory, though it is 
much better to appeal to love, in 
support of measures advocated to 
arouse people to a sense of the 
danger in which they stand, either 
as sinners before God or as citi- 
zens, calmly submitting to the de- 
privation of their rights as free- 
men. It is often needful. The 
use of fear in efforts to control men 
has been the chief weapon of kings 
and priests. It is now more com- 
mon and more noble to sway men by love. Tear is an 
ignoble passion, but love is an honorable sentiment. 
Language. — In fear the senses of sight and hearing 
are intensely acute. The eyes are wide open and 
stare eagerly, the eyebrows are raised, the mouth is 
opened wide to inhale the air as noiselessly as pos- 
sible. The frightened man stands motionless as a 
statue or crouches down as if to escape the threaten- 
ing object. The heart beats so violently as to knock 
against the ribs. The mental and bodily state is dis- 
ordered, the will is utterly powerless to control. The 
lines on the face are distorted, the face itself is pale, 
haggard, and fearful. Every muscle of the body 
trembles. The skin exudes a cold sweat, and icy cur- 





JOHN B. GOUGH. 



PBECAUTIONARY EMOTIONS. 173 

rents ooze through the body. The breathing is spas- 
modic, the lungs are kept distended while'the breath- 
ing is short and rapid; there is a gasping in the 
throat, inflation of the nostrils, convulsive opening of 
the mouth, and dropping of the jaw. The cheeks 
show signs of the troubled spirit within by their con- 
vulsive and hollow motion. The lips nearly conceal 
the teeth but allow the tongue to be seen. The mus- 
cles of the lips and neck tremble. The mouth be- 
comes dry, and opens and shuts convulsively. The 
expression varies according to the danger. If the 
evil impending, threatens bodily mischief then the 
gestures will be as follows : The person will assume 
an attitude of supplication ; the hands will try to 
protect the body. Falling on his knees he will pro- 
test his innocence, crying and shouting for mercy. 
The tones of the voice are aspirated or half- whisper- 
ing. Explosive utterance and doubtful inflections. 
" Now o'er one half the world 

Nature seems dead : and wicked dreams abuse 

The curtained sleep ; now witchcraft celebrates 

Pale Hecate's offerings ; and withered murder, 

Alarumed by his sentinel, the wolf, 

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace 

Towards his design 

Moves like a ghost. — Thou sure and firm-set earth! 

Hear not my steps, which way they walk ; for fear 

The very stones prate of my where-about, 

And take the present horror from the time, 

"Which now suits with it." 



Terror. — Terror is a more violent state of fear, and 
the above signs are increased in intensity. The pro- 
truding eyeballs are fixed on the object without the 
power of withdrawal. Sometimes they roll from side 



174 



ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 



to side with the pupils dilated. The deathlike pallor 
of the face increases, the throat eagerly gulps in the 
catching air, and the motion of the lips is convulsive. 
All the muscles of the body become rigid or are 
thrown into convulsive movements. The hands are 
alternately clenched and opened. The arms are 
thrown forward as if to avert the danger or are 




Terror. 

thrown wildly over the head as if to ward off a blow. 
If the body can recover from its paralyzed condition 
the person seeks to escape in flight, but often looks 
back to see if the object pursues. In the most pas- 
sionate state of fear the sweat exudes visibly from 
every part of the body. All the muscles of the body 
are relaxed and utter prostration follows. 



PRECAUTION AKY EMOTIONS. 175 

The voice utters terrific screams and inarticulate 
cries. The tones are harsh, guttural, hollow, and 
tremulous. Utterance faltering, irregular and weak. 

King Richard's Dream. 
K. Rich. Give me another horse : bind up my wounds. 
Have mercy, Jesu ! — Soft ! I did but dream. 

coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me ! 
The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight. 
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh. 
What do I fear ? myself ? there's none else by : 
Richard loves Richard ; that is, I am I. 

Is there a murderer here ? No. Yes, I am : 

Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why : 

Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself? 

Alack, I love myself. Wherefore ? — for any good 

That I myself have done unto myself? 

O, no ! alas, I farther hate myself 

For hateful deeds committed by myself ! 

1 am a villian : yet, if I lie, I am not. 

Fool, of thyself speak well : fool, do not flatter. 
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, 
And every tongue brings in a several tale, 
And every tale condemns me for a villain. 
Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree; 
Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree ; 
All several sins, all used in each degree, 
Throng to the bar, crying, Guilty ! guilty! 
I shall despair. There is no creature loves me ; 
And if I die, no soul shall pity me : 
Nay, wherefore should they, since that I myself 
Find in myself no pity to myself ? 
Methought the souls of all that I had murder'd 
Came to my tent : and every one did threat 
To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard. 

From Revelations. 

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo ! 
there was a great earthquake. And the sun became black as 
sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood ; and the stars 
of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her un- 



176 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

timely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the 
heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together ; and 
every mountain and island were out of their place. And the 
kings of the earth, and the great men, and the chief captains and 
the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man, hid 
themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains ; and 
said to the mountains and rocks, ' Fall on us, and hide us from 
Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb : 
for the great day of his wrath is come ; and who shall be able to 
stand !' 

Horror. — This state of mind is almost the same as 
terror. It is produced by the sight of a dreadful 
catastrophe or of some one about to suffer a horrible 
death. There may be no danger to ourselves, but by 
the power ot the imagination and sympathy we feel 
as if we were actually undergoing the terrible in- 
fliction. The gestures are the same for those of ter- 
ror with some modifications. The brows are more 
knit and frowning. There seems to be a greater con- 
centration of mental energy and self-control. The 
body shrinks or turns aside. The arms are thrown 
outward as if to push the horrible sight away. A 
very common movement to express horror is the ele- 
vation of both shoulders with the bent arms pressing 
against the sides or chest and accompanied by a 
shiver and a deep inspiration or expiration. The 
tones are hollow, pectoral, and aspirated. Utter- 
ance characterized by impassioned and yet sup- 
pressed force. The voice must never become so loud 
and strong so as to destroy the suppressed or whis- 
pering tone of fear. 

Juliet's Speech befoee Taking the Sleeping Potion. 

Farewell ! God knows when we shall meet again, 
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins, 
That almost freezes up the heat of life : 
I'll call them back again to comfort me : 



PKECAUT10NABY EMOTIONS. 177 

Nurse ! What should she do here ? 

My dismal scene I needs must act alone. 

Come, vial. 

What if this mixture do not work at all ! 

Shall I be married then to-morrow morning ? 

No, no : this shall forbid it : lie thou there. 

[Laying down Tier dagger. 
What if it be a poison, which the friar 
Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead, 
Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd, 
Because he married me before to Romeo ? 
I fear it is : and yet, me thinks, it should not, 
For he hath still been tried a holy man. 
How, if, when I am laid into the tomb, 
I wake before the time that Romeo 
Come to redeem me ? there's a fearful point! 
Shall I not, then, be stifled in the vault, 
To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, 
And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes ? 
Or, if I live, is it not very like. 
The horrible conceit of death and night 
Together with the terror of the place, — 
As in a vault, an ancient receptacle, 
Where, for these many hundred years, the bones 
Of all my buried ancestors are pack'd 
Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth, 
Lies festering in his shroud : where, as they say, 
At some hours in the night spirits resort : — 
Alack, alack, is it not like that I, 
So early waking, what with loathsome smells, 
And shrieks like mandrakes' torn out of the earth, 
That living mortals, hearing them, run mad : — 
O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught, 
Environed with all these hideous fears ? 
And madly play with my forefathers' joints ? 
And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud ? 
And, in this rage, with some great kinsman's bone, 
As with a club, dash out my desperate brains ? 
O, look ! methinks I see my cousin's ghost 
Seeking out Romeo, that did spit his body 



178 ELOCUTION AND ORATOBY. . 

Upon a rapier's point : stay, Tybalt, stay ! 
Borneo, I come ! this do I drink to thee. 

' In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep 
falleth on men, fear came upon me and trembling, which made 
all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face ; the 
hair of my flesh stood up. — It stood still ; but I could not dis- 
cern the form thereof. An image was before mine eyes ; there 
was silence ; and I heard a voice saying, ' Shall mortal man be 
more just than God ? Shall a man be more pure than his maker?' ' 






Prudence is the result of wisdom and reflection. 
Cautiousness is an element in prudence, it whispers 
" take care ;" then the intellect weighs the matter and 
decides. When a person acts from such instinctive 
promptings of cautiousness and reflection we call him 
"prudent." A prudent person will weigh all his 
words and actions; he will do nothing from im- 
pulse ; he never makes an indiscreet or offensive re- 
mark. The words will be few and well chosen, gestures 
moderate, manner unassuming and dignified. The 
expression of the countenance inspires confidence and 
authority. The tones of the voice are subdued, ut- 
terance slow and well weighed, and inflections 
doubtful. 

Timidity or Indecision. — Timidity may spring from 
fear or from prudence, in either case the actions are 
about the same. The walk is undecided, irregular, 
short and long steps, sometimes quick, then slow. 
Movements calculated and actions weighed. The 
manner nervous and hesitating. The voice subdued 
in tone and monotonous in expression, inflections and 
emphasis undecided. 

Suspicion arises whenever the conduct of persons 
belie their words. It is expressed by the restless in- 
quiring motion of the eye, shaking the head, shrug- 



PRECAUTIONARY EMOTIONS. 179 

ging the shoulders, natural tendency to turn away from 
those who address us. The movements are nervous, 
cautious, never natural or self-possessed. The walk 




Suspicion. 

is circumspect and watchful. The whole expression 
is unhappy. The tones of the voice are full of in- 
sinuation and jealous inquiry ; rising and doubtful 
inflections prevail. 

Despair arises when we have lost hope in our 
efforts or situation. Grief and sorrow generally ac- 
company despair. 

Language. — The attitudes are various. Despair 
renders a person indifferent to all that passes. The 
face is generally pallid, haggard, and vacant. Feat- 
ures sad and melancholy. Tears may flow, sighs may 
find utterance in feeble moans or whines. The head 
droops and hands are wrung. If the cause is sudden 
there may be great violence of movement. 

Job's Despair. 

And now my soul is poured out upon me ; the days of afflic- 
tion have taken hold upon me. My bones are pierced in me, in 



180 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

the night season ; and my sinews take no rest. He hath cast me 
into the mire ; and I am become like dust and ashes. I cry unto 
thee, and thou dost not hear me : I stand up, and thou regardest 
me not. Thou art become cruel to me : with thy strong hand 
thou opposest thyself against me. Thou liftest me up to the 
wind ; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my sub- 
stance. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the 
house appointed for all living. 






Admonition is the desire which arises to warn 
our friends when we perceive the danger they are 
about to encounter. It is a result of intellectual re- 
flection and also of the precautionary instinct of cau- 
tiousness. 

Language. — The face is grave and almost severe, 
the head is sometimes shaken at the person we ad- 
monish, and the right hand with the forefinger point- 
ed is directed toward him as if signifying " beware." 
The voice is low, with tones of authority, prudence, 
pity, and reproach. 

THE SECRETIVE CLASS. 

Secretiveness. — There seems to be an instinct in 
the human constitution which prompts to prudential 
concealment. Many thoughts and desires arise at 
times, which, if clothed in words, would injure our- 
selves or others and shock the community ; it is ab- 
solutely necessary that such thoughts should not be 
uttered; hence God has implanted in us an instinct 
which, like a doorkeeper, closes the gates of exit upon 
all these thoughts and gives the intellect an opportu- 
nity to sit in judgment upon them. 

"A fool," says Solomon, "uttereth all his mind, but 
a wise man keepeth it in till afterward." This is a 
wise and necessary precaution, and in its simple state 
secretiveness originates traits of character worthy of 



1>EECAUTI0NAKY EMOTIONS. 181 

commendation, such as prudence, reserve, policy, and 
discretion ; but when emotional and passionate it gives 
rise to the more objectionable form of cunning, states- 
man craft and hypocrisy. 

Cunning gives a love for secret or hidden ways of 
doing things. It is more delightful to tread the oc- 
cult than the straight, open path ; to overcome an 
enemy by strategy than by honest straight-forward 
tactics ; to gain confidence and reputation by flattery 
and hypocrisy than by faithful service. The cunning 
savage with a yell of delight springs from his ambush 
upon his unsuspecting foe ; the refined gentleman 
utters his bad thoughts or envious feelings by insinu- 
ation rather than by frank words. When cunning 
becomes a passion intense 
enjoyment is experienced, 
even in the crafty perform- 
ance of small matters. To 
get the better of a person 
by stealthy measures is 
regarded as commenda- 
tory. A thrill of pleasure sC 



arises when some deep- 
laid plot has been succes- 
ful. The emotion of cun- Cunning. 

ning is highly dramatic. 

Language. — Cunning shows itself in the dispositions 
and actions of men. It gives a calm, profound and 
crafty concern for one's own interest, disguises real 
sentiments and purposes, and seeks at the same time 
to unveil the secrets and mysteries of others. When 
unobserved by others a cunning person will dismiss 
from his countenance all expression save that of 
a vague and indefinite smile ; no word that would re- 
veal his purpose is permitted to escape him. He is 




182 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

always suspicious ; conscious of employing hidden 
ways himself, he is prone to put evil interpretations 
on the actions of others. In order to gain his end 
he will dissemble, natter, and even lie. He will pre- 
sent only the most favorable side, or that view of the 
cause which he thinks will most readily win the vic- 
tory. All the attitudes have an air of concealment. The 
walk and motions of the body are catlike. The face 
assumes a vacant expression when closely observed, 
but as every emotion struggles for expression the 
language of cunning, though restrained, will display 
itself in quick darts and gleams. There is then a 
close, sly look, a quivering and uneasy rolling of the 
eye from side to side, accompanied by furtive glances 
and a slight effort to avoid inspection. There is also 
an assumption of the voice and gestures of the 
honorable sentiments, or of those which express the 
opposite of cunning. The cunning man slyly pre- 
tends friendship. What seems occult and dishonor- 
able he smooths over, or declares them necessary 
and unavoidable under the circumstances, or else 
that they were performed with the best intentions. 
He cloaks deceit with the look of frankness, and his 
fear of being detected, with the calm unconcerned air 
of dignified pride. The attitudes are like those of a 
cat watching a mouse. The head is bent forward and 
moves gently from side to side. The eyes peer eagerly 
out from their sockets. The body is made as light as 
possible, and is bent forward with the shoulders 
drawn up almost to the ears, the feet glide as if they 
moved on glass. The voice is muffled or aspirated ; 
accents equivocating, and the tones full of doubtful 
meaning. 

Curiosity. — There is often an uncontrollable desire 
in some minds to pry into other people's affairs. The 



PRECAUTIONARY EMOTIONS. 



183 



motive may be one simply of idle inquisitiveness or 
it may be the selfish desire to profit by the knowledge 
of other persons affairs. Persons influenced by curi- 
osity often overstep the bounds of etiquette and be- 
come bores in society. 

Language. — A curious person assumes attitudes 
and motions suggestive of a prying disposition. If 
he is in conversation with a person he scans him 
over carefully as if to ascertain if there is anything 
peculiar about his dress or manners. If sitting at a 
table he will exercise his inquisitive disposition by 
picking up whatever happens to be within his reach 
—books, pictures, etc. ; and 
looks at the names on the 
title page, turns over the 
leaves, or performs other sim- 
ilar actions. Curiosity may 
become a passion and lead 
to the performance of very 
indiscreet actions. This pas- 
sion may be called prying cu- 
riosity, which shows itself in 
various movements, such as 
looking through the keyhole 
or a crack in the door, playing eavesdropper, asking 
questions when others are talking upon topics which 
are connected with the subject of his inquisitiveness. 
The voice abounds in peculiar, rising, circumflex ac- 
cents. The tones are full of inquiry and interrogation. 

Hypocrisy is one of the meanest and most cowardly 
feelings in man. It arises from cowardice and vil- 
lainy. Envy and selfishness are also ingredients of 
this passion. When a man is conscious of his own 
weakness and inability to attain to the respectful 
eminence of those whom he envies, he seeks by covert 




Curiosity. 



184 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

acts to injure them. While he greets them with an 
open smile and friendly word he at the same time 
wounds them in the dark. He is never weary in his 
protestations of friendship, and yet he is sure to 
betray a confidence for his own advancement. Iago 
is a true type of a hypocite. 

Language. — As the main purpose of the hypocrite 
is to conceal his real feelings and express those which 
he does not feel, the countenance will reveal a vari- 
ety of motives. The lips may smile and the eyes 
open with simulated joy, but still the countenance 
as a whole will be changeful, restless and deceitful. 
The looks are often averted and cannot meet the direct 
glance of the person with whom he converses. Man- 
ners calculated and insinuating ; movements not im- 
pulsive, except when designedly so ; walk and actions 
accommodating attitude humble, so as to avoid sus- 
picion ; voice persuasive and sympathizing. Hypoc- 
risy knows the value of virtues in society and hence 
studies to imitate them. She adorns herself with the 
garments of innocence, humility, honor, piety and 
religion. 

EXAMPLES OF HYPOCRISY. 



Gloucester's Confession of his Hypooeisy. 
I do the wrong, and first began to brawl, 
The secret mischiefs charge of others. 
Clarence, whom I, indeed, have laid in darkness, 
I do beweep to many simple gulls ; 
Namely, to Hastings, Derby, Buckingham ; 
And say it is the queen and her allies 
That stir the king against the duke my brother. 
Now, they believe it ; and withal whet me 
To be revenged on Rivers, Vaughan, Grey : 
But then I sigh : and, with a piece of scriptures, 
Tell them that God bids us do good for evil : 



PBECAUTIONAEY EMOTIONS. 185 

And thus I clothe my naked villainy 

With old odd ends stolen out of Holy Writ ; 

And seems a saint, when most I play the devil." 



Iago's Confession of his Htpoceisy. 

And what's he then that says I play the villain: 
When this advice is free I give and honest, 
Probal to thinking and indeed the course 
To win the Moor again ? For 'tis most easy 
The inclining Desdemona to subdue 
In any honest suit : she's framed as fruitful 
As the free elements. And then for her 
To win the Moor — were't to renounce his baptism, 
All seals and symbols of redeemed sin, 
His soul is so enfetter' d to- her love, 
That she may make, unmake, do what she list, 
Even as her appetite shall play the god 
With his weak function. How am I then a villain 
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course, 
Directly to his good ? Divinity of hell ! 
When devils will the blackest put on, 
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, 
As I do now : for whiles this honest fool 
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes 
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor, 
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear, 
That she repeals him for her body's lust ; 
And by how much she strives to do him good, 
She shall undo her credit with the Moor. 
So will I turn her virtues into pitch, 
And out of her own goodness make the net 
That shall enmesh them all. 



CHAPTEK VII. 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 

The emotional states of the primitive faculties of 
Veneration, Sprituality, Hope, Conscientiousness, 
Imitation, Mirthfulness, Ideality and Sublimity form 
this group. It has six subdivisions. 

1. Submissive Class. — Veneration, Reverence, De- 
votion, Loyalty, Admiration. 

2. Supernatural Class. — Marvelousness. Wonder, 
Novelty, Surprise, Faith, Credulity, Astonishment. 

3. Anticipatory and Exuberant Class. — Hope, Expec- 
tion, Gladness, Cheerfulness, Joy, Eapture, Delight, 
Animation, Triumph, Exultation, Enthusiasm. 

4. Conscientious Class. — Conscientiousness, Love of 
Justice, Duty, Truth, Repentance, Guilt, Remorse. 

5. Imitative and Mirthful Range. — Imitation, Mim- 
icry, Humor, Mirthfulness, Ludicrousness. 

6. Imaginative and Aesthetic Range. — Harmony, 
Loveliness, Sublimity, Majesty, Awe, Grandeur, 
Splendor. 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL 
GROUP. 

Mental. — The transcendental emotions are mentally 
elevating. The feelings are buoyant, vigorous and 
pleasurable. They are called transcendental because 
(186) 






TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 187 

they elevate the mind into regions beyond the con- 
siderations of self and earthly things. They invest 
things with a superhuman or transcendental color- 
ing. 

Physiological. — The vital action is increased es- 
pecially in the exuberant class. In the conscien- 
tious range the emotions of guilt, remorse, repent- 
ence, etc., diminish or render vital action irregular. 

Expressional. — The countenance is elevated, eyes 
open, eyebrows arched. The gestures are expansive, 
all embracing and directed upwards. 

SUBMISSIVE CLASS. 

Yeneration is a religious sentiment, it has several 
elements in its composition. Love, fear, respect 
and the sentiment of the sublime are blended together. 
The highest form of veneration is love of God, rever- 
ance for religion, sacred rites and ceremonies. The 
love element manifests itself in regarding the Supreme 
Being as worthy of veneration because he is a God of 
love. God as a father is honored and reverenced by the 
love element in veneration. Fear venerates with awe 
and wonder the Supreme Being as the Sovereign Ruler 
of the universe. Sublimity forms an element in ven- 
eration because God is associated with power, majesty 
and all the profound mystery of the supernatural. 
Yeneration inspires a feeling of reverance for the 
past rather than the present. Age is venerable, novelty 
is irreverent. Ancestry, rites and ceremonies venera- 
ble with age, moss-covered ruins, famous places, 
castle walls, ancient regalias, the ensignia of power 
and authority awaken feelings of veneration. The 
sentiment is possessed by nearly every human being 
in some form or other. All nations venerate a Su- 
preme Being and the mysteries of the supernatural 



188 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

world. Those who do not believe in the supernatural 
have yet reverential sentiment toward authority, virtue 
and greatness. To awaken this emotion in the hearts 
of men and women and employ it in aid of his cause 
should be the aim of the orator. The orator should 
endeavor to show that the measure he advocates is 
venerable, virtuous and religious. He should appeal 
to the wisdom of ancient times, to the deeds of 
venerable men, to customs hallowed and honored by 
the wise and virtuous of all ages, to principles 
sanctioned by generations of faithful practice. 

Language. — The countenance has an intense ex- 
pression of devotion. The muscles of the face 
cease to act with vigor. The eyelids and cheeks are 
drawn slightly downwards, and the expression is one 
of tender love. When veneration is passionate the 
person is oblivious to all that passes ; the attitude is 
humble, the eyes glance upward, the body bows 
in adoration, and the soul pours forth its reverential 
feeling in prayer. The gestures sometimes vary. The 
features may become languid and sad, the attitude 
motionless, and the arms crossed on the chest. 

The Psalmist says : " I will lift up mine eyes unto 
the hills from whence cometh my help." And the 
poet eloquently defines veneration, — 

Prayer is the upward glancing of the eye 
When none but God is near. 

EXAMPLES OF VENERATION. 



R iHMOND'ri Appeal to God. 
O Thou, whose captain I account myself, 
Look on my forces with a gracious eye : 
Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath, 
That they may crush down with a heavy fall 
The usurping helmets of our adversaries ! 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 189 

Make us thy ministers of chastisement, 
That we may praise thee in the victory ! 
To thee I do commend my watchful soul, 
Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes : 
Sleeping and waking, O, defend me still ! 



Angelic Adoeation. — Milton. 
Thee, Father, first they sung, omnipotent, 
Immaculate, immortal, infinite, 
Eternal king : Thee, Author of all being, 
Fountain of light, thyself invisible 
Amidst the glorious brightness where Thou sitt'st, 
Throned inaccessible, but when thou shad'st 
The full blaze of thy beams, and, through a cloud 
Drawn round about thee, like a radiant shrine, 
Dark with excessive bright, thy skirts appear, 
Yet dazzle Heaven that brightest seraphim 
Approach not, but with hoth wings veil their eyes. 



Admiration is an emotion aroused in ns by the 
contemplation of excellence or superiority. It has 
an element of love in it. Another sentient being is 
necessary in order to produce the highest emotion of 
admiration, and in such case develops into love. Ad- 
miration can be felt also for inanimate objects, beau- 
tiful scenery, etc., but this is more a product of 
ideality and will be treated under that head. 

Language. — The features are slightly raised, the 
eyes are opened, the eyebrows elevated. In admira- 
tion mingled with surprise the mouth opens and the 
lips curl in the form of a smile. The action of the 
heart increases the vital circulation. 

REVERENCE. 



Feom the Hymn of the Season. — Thompson. 

These, as they change, Almighty Father ! these 
Are but the varied God. The rolling year 
Is full of thee. 



190 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

And oft thy voice in dreadful thunder speaks ; 
A_nd oft at dawn, deep noon, or falling eve, 
By brooks and groves, in hollow- whispering gales. — 
In Winter, awful Thou ! with clouds and storms 
Around Thee thrown, tempest o'er tempest rolled, — 
Majestic darkness ! On the whirlwind's wing, 
Riding sublime, Thou bidd'st the world adore, 
And humblest Nature, with Thy northern blast." 



From the Foeest Hymn. — J 
Father ! Thy hand 
Hath reared these venerable columns ; Thou 
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down 
Upon the naked earth ; and, forthwith, rose 
All these fair ranks of trees. They in Thy sun 
Budded, and shook their green leaves in Thy breeze, 
And shot towards heaven. The century-living crow, 
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old and died 
Among their branches, till at last, they stood, 
As now they stand, massy, and tall, and dark, — 
Fit shrine for humble worshipper to hold 
Communion with his Maker ! 



Devotion or Loyalty. — Veneration and love are the 
root elements of devotion. We are loyal to our 
country, party, friends, or principles because they 
are venerable and worthy of our love. We are easily 
influenced by appeals made to our loyalty and we 
detest those who desert or betray a cause which they 
have espoused. 

Language. — Devotion is similar to friendship and 
veneration in its unstudied expression. 
SUPERNATURAL CLASS. 

Marvellousness or Spirituality. — There appears to 
be a faculty in man the function of which is the per- 
ception of spiritual truths. In its simple excitemen- 
tal state it produces faith and wonder. In its emo- 
tional and passional states it produces credulity. 



TEANSCENDENTAL GEOUP. 



191 



The emotions springing from marveiiousness have 
created a vast world peopled by imaginary beings. 
Witches and warlocks,ghosts, goblins and hobgoblins, 
fairies, wood-nymphs, and all the host of the upper 
and lower worlds, have received form and reality 




Teust in the Spieitual. 

from these emotions. Apparitions, shades of the de- 
parted, second sight, visions, dreams, and prophetic 
warnings spring from these emotions. They are 
highly dramatic ; many of the plays now performed in 
the theatre wonld lose their attraction if the element 
of the marvellous was eliminated. Human ingenuity 
has invented stage arrangements which successfully 



192 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

represent to the eye the supernatural creations of 
marvellousness. 

Credulity, or faith in the supernatural, is an emo- 
tion arising from the contemplation of the creations 
of the heated imagination. In its passionate state of 
excitement credulity is prone to superstitious dreams 
and visions. Prompted by the emotion of credulity 
men have claimed a supernatural origin for their 
teachings, have even fancied themselves attended 
by spirits or angels. Legislators in ancient times, 
aware of its great influence, made frequent use of it 
to enforce and confirm their laws. They spoke in the 
name of God, or of supernatural powers, and the 
people, terrified by the danger of offending the 
powers of heaven or hell,willingly submitted to them. 
All nations look back with pleasure at their early 
history, full of fabulous stories. 

Language. — The expression of the emotion of faith 
in the supernatural varies according as its objects 
arouse fear or happiness. A person under its in- 
fluence may contemplate the supernatural world with 
a kind of transport or ecstacy. Troops of aerial 
beings may flood his vision, so beautiful in form and 
benign in disposition that emotions of joy will arise. 
With rapturous delight he throws up his arms as if to 
embrace them. His ears intently listen to the sound 
of sweet music. The body is thrown forward in the 
direction of the sounds while the eyes stare wildly. 
All the attitudes are those of joy and astonishment. 
Perhaps he imagines himself attended by a familiar 
spirit or guardian angel. He speaks and acts and 
makes gestures of command, entreaty or friendly 
conversation as if somebody was really present. 
Should the supernatural visitor threaten harm, then 
the laneruag-e of fear will arise. There will be a ter- 



TKANSCENTjENTAL GROUP. 193 

rible struggle with the malign spirits. The heart 
beats quickly, and the cold perspiration starts from 
every pore ; the gestures are wild and disordered, and 
all the signs of terror manifest themselves. Kooted 
to the spot he cannot save himself by flight, but 
wildly throws his arms away . from his body as if 
warding off the hated demon. The body trembles, 
the face is like a sepulchre, and the tongue cleaves 
to the roof of the mouth, the eyes and mouth are 
wide open. The supernaturalist may become a 
medium and enter a trance, in which state he beholds 
and describes many wonderful revelations. 

EXAMPLES OF FAITH AND CREDULITY. 



POETENTOrS Waexixgs. 

Cic. Good even, Casca : brought you Caesar home ? 
Why are you breathless ? and why stare you so ? 

Casca. Are you not moved, when all the sway of earth 
Shakes like a thing unfirm ? O Cicero, 
I have seen tempests, when the scolding winds 
Have rived the knotty oaks, and I have seen 
The ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam, 
To be exalted with the threatening clouds : 
But never till to-night, never till now. 
Did I go through a tempest dropping fire. 
Either there is a civil strife in heaven, 
Or else the world, too saucy with the gods, 
Incense them to send destruction. 

Cic. Why > saw you any thing more wonderful ? 

Casca. A common slave — you know him well by sight — 
Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn 
Like twenty torches join'd, and yet his hand, 
Not sensible of fire, remain'd unscorch'd. 
Besides — I ha' not since put up my sword — 
Against the Capitol I met a lion, 
Who glared upon me, and went surly by, 
Without annoying me, and there were drawn 



194 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Upon a heap a hundred ghastly women, 
Transformed with their fear : who swore they s 
Men all in fire walk up and down the streets. 
And yesterday the bird of night did sit 
Even at noon-day upon the marble-place, 
Hooting and shrieking. When these prodigies 
Do so conjointly meet, let not men say 
" These are their reasons : they are natural :" 
For, I believe, they are portentous things 
Unto the climate that they point upon. 






A Prophetic Dream. 

Cses. Shall Caesar send a lie ? 

Have I in conquest stretch' d mine arm so far, 
To be afeared to tell graybeards the truth ? 
Decius, go tell them Cresar will not come. 

Dec. Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause. 
Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so. 

Cses. The cause is in my will : I will not come ; 
That is enough to satisfy the senate. 
But for your private satisfaction, 
Because I love you, I will let you know : 
Calpurnia, here, my wife, stays me at home : 
She dreamt to-night she saw my statue, 
Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts, 
Did run pure blood ; and many lusty Romans 
Came smiling, and did bathe their hands in it : 
And these does she apply for warnings, and portents, 
And evils eminent ; and on her knee 
Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day. 

Dec. This dream is all amiss interpreted ; 
It was a vision fair and fortunate : 
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, 
In which so many smiling Romans bathed, 
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck 
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press 
For tinctures, stains, relics and cognizance. 
This by Calpurnia's dream is signified. 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 195 

Haebingers of Evil. 
Hor. A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye. 
In the most high and palmy state of Rome, 
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, 
The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead 
Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets : 
As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, 
Disasters in the sun ; and the moist star 
Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands 
Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse : 
And even the like precurse of fierce events, 
As harbingers preceding still the fates 
And prologue to the omen coming on, 
Have heaven and earth together demonstrated 
Unto our climatures and countrymen. — 
But soft, behold ! lo, where it comes again ! 

Re-enter Ghost. 
I'll cross it, though it blast me. Stay, illusion I 
If thou hast any sound, any use of voice, 
Speak to me : 

If there be any good thing to be done, 
That may to thee do ease and grace to me, 
Speak to me : 

If thou art privy to thy country's fate, 
Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, 
O, speak ! 



A Ghostly Apparition. 
Enter Ghost. 
Ham. Angels and ministers of grace defend us! 
Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd, 
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, 
Be thy intents wicked or charitable, 
Thou comest in such a questionable shape 
That I will speak to thee : I'll call thee Hamlet, 
King, father, royal Dane : O, answer me ! 
Let me not burst in ignorance ; but tell 
Why thy canonized bones, hearsed in death, 
Have burst their cerements ; why the sepulchre, 



196 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Wherein we saw thee quietly inurn'd, 
Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws, 
To cast thee up again. "What may this mean, 
That thou, dead corse, again in complete steel 
Revisit'st thus the glimpses of the moon, 
Making night hideous ; and we fools of nature 
So horribly to shake our disposition 
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls ? 
Say, why is this ? wherefore ? what should we do ? 



Wonder or Novelty — The emotion of novelty 
arises when we contemplate things new or strange. 
New scenes, new objects, new persons, and new 
events in life stimulate the emotion of novelty. It 
prompts to invention, and under its influence an ora- 
tor will coin new phrases and words. It may be 
skilfully employed to advance an advocate's cause. 
Men are interested in old truths put into new forms. 
When old truths are held up in the light of contrast 
with new truths a sense of pleasure arises, and many 
will embrace the new ideas because of their novelty. 
Language. — Novelty expresses itself in the desire to 
change. Old ways and old habits are irksome. Per- 
sons under the influence of this emotion follow the 
fashions. The attitudes are restless. Too long con- 
tinuance at one occupation is irksome. The manner 
of doing things varies and the speech abounds in 
strange expressions. The eyebrows are elevated. 

Ham. Arm'd, say you ? 

^' I Arm'd, my lord. 

Ham. From top to toe ? 

gg r r * J- My lord, from head to foot. 

Ham. Then saw you not his face ? 

Hor. O, yes, my lord ; he wore his beaver up. 



TBANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 197 

Ham. What, look'd he frowningly? 

Hor. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. 

Ham. Pale or red ? 

Hor. Nay, very pale. 

Ham. And fix'd his eyes upon you ? 

Hor. Most constantly. 

Ham. I would I had been there. 

Hor. It would have much amazed you. 

Ham. Very like, very like. Stay'd it long ? 

Hor. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred. 

Ber * j- Longer, longer. 

Hor. Not when I saw't. 

Ham. His beard was grizzled, — no ? 

Hor. It was as I have seen it in his life, 
A sable silver'd. 

Ham. I will watch to-night; 

Perchance 'twill walk again. 



Surprise. — When we have been intently watching 
some scene or object our countenance and gestures 
change according to the number of novel and unex- 
pected events which occur. These represent the 
state of mind which graduates from a feeling of sur- 
prise to admiration and astonishment. Simple atten- 
tion is shown by a slight elevation of the eyebrows. 
Surprise raises the eyes more fully, and the mouth 
opens wide and the brow wrinkles. Wonder and sur- 
prise have loud, high, and slow utterance ; vanishing 
stress, aspirated quality, and a prevalence of the ris- 
ing inflection. 

Gone to be married ! Gone to swear a peace ! 
False blood to false blood joined ! Gone to be friends ! 
Shall Lewis have Blanche, and Blanche these provinces ? 
It is not so ; thou hast misspoke, misheard,-- 
Be well advised, tell o'er thy tale again : 
It cannot be ; — thou dost but say 't is so.' 



198 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Astonishment shows itself in gestures the same 
but more marked than those of surprise. Every sud- 
den emotion, including astonishment, quickens the 
action of the heart, the respiration is quickened, the 
breathing stops suddenly or inspiration is made 
quietly through the open mouth. The muscles of the 
body are relaxed, the jaw drops as if by its own 
weight. When the thoughts are suddenly arrested 
by some unexpected event or the appearance of some 
extraordinary object, astonishment or extreme amaze- 
ment may express itself, thus, the head and body 
thrown back, the hands raised quickly above the 
head, and all the movements corresponding to rapid 
transition of thought. The words are spoken with 
difficulty and utterance appears to be denied. Some- 
times the hands, instead of being raised above the 
head, are placed to the mouth or on the forehead. 
The voice is slightly aspirate, and intense rising in- 
flections prevail. Utterance is loud, high, with van- 
ishing stress. 

Astonishment. 

This drudge laid claim to me ; called me Dromio ; swore I 
was assured to her ; told me what private marks I had about 
me, as the mark of my shoulder, the mole in my neck, the great 
wart on my left arm, — that I, amazed, ran from her as a witch ; 
and I think, if my breast had not been made of r faith, and my 
heart of steel, she had transformed me to a curtail-dog, and made 
me turn i' the wheel. 



ANTICIPATORY AND EXUBERANT CLASS. 

Hope. — The emotion of happiness or buoyancy 
arises when the mind contemplates future happiness. 
Its influence in oratory is important. If the orator 
can show that the principles which he advocates will 
be successful, a feeling of buoyancy not only makes 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 199 

him mentally active but also makes his audience men- 
tally responsive. " Hope springs eternal to the hu- 
man heart." If it were not for man's happiness life 
would not be worth living ; for, "why should man, the 
hero of a day, the spectre of a dream," care to live 
such a day or experience such a dream if he did not 
expect that the future would be more happy. Pope 
has beautifully and truly said 

Hope springs exulting on triumphing wing. 

Hope elevates man above the dust, it is the spur to 
all his actions. Through hope he plants for the fu- 
ture, begins the foundations of buildings which com- 
ing generations will complete, lays up an inheritance 
for his children, and struggles for the joys of heaven. 
Fear may accompany hope and check its manifesta- 
tions. Despondency very often accompanies disap- 
pointed hope. 

Language. — The expression of hope in the face is 
joyful and elevating. The eyes send out buoyant, 
eager glances, the mouth smiles. The eyebrows are 
slightly arched when hope is tinged with the shadows 
of fear ; but the countenance is generally open and 
elevated. The arms are spread with the hands open ; 
and when passionate the breath may be drawn in 
more forcibly to express our exultation at the ap- 
proaching enjoyment. The tones of the voice are 
clear, swelling and exuberant, with lively changes of 
inflection ; high pitch and animated utterance prevail. 

Hope. 

With thee, sweet Hope, resides the heavenly light 
That pours remotest rapture on the sight ; 
Thine is the charm of life's bewildered way 
That calls each slumbering passion into play. 
Eternal Hope ! when yonder spheres sublime 
Pealed the first notes to sound the march of time, 



200 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Thy joyous youth began — but not to fade 
When all thy sister planets have decayed, 
When rapt in fire the realms of ether glow 
And Heaven's last thunder shakos the world below 
Thou undismay'd shalt oe'r the ruins smile, 
And light thy torch at Nature's funeral pile. 






Expectation is a compound sentiment. Hope, 
fear, doubt, grief and impatience may all form ele- 
ments in its composition according to the nature of 
the thing expected. To excite this sentiment in our- 
selves or in the minds of our audience we must first 




Earnest Hope. 

ascertain the cause of this emotion. If the cause is 
favorable then the actions will be those of hope and 
kindred emotions. If unfavorable then the move- 
ments will be those of fear and the other unfavorable 



TKANSCEKDENTAL GBOUP. 201 

emotions. But in all cases eagerness prompts the 
actions. The body leans forward, the head is held 
to one side, one hand is placed behind the ear, 
another stretched in front as if to check all interrup- 
tion or to impose silence. In eager expectation the 
person rises on tip-toe and stretches his neck forward 
in the direction whence he expects intelligence. 

Where every warrior on the tip-toe stands 
Of expectation, and impatient asks 
Each who arrives, if he has come to tell 
The Danes are landed." 



Immortality. — The emotion of immortality is not 
restricted to the barbarous and uneducated, but is 
even more characteristic of refined and educated 
races. It burns in the heart of the savage and throws 
him on his knees in superstitious terror before the 
gods of heaven and hell to entreat them to receive 
his soul into their realms of bliss. It inspires the 
most highly educated with aspirations for a continued 
existence beyond the grave. As an oratorical emo- 
tion it is very influential. Religion has its basis in 
the hope of immortality, and men will sacrifice al- 
most everything to secure happiness in the life to come. 

Lo, the poor Indian whose untutored mind 
Sees God in clouds or hears him in the wind, 
His soul's proud science never taught to stray- 
Far as the solar walk or milky way. 
Tet simple nature to his hope has given 
Behind the cloud-topp'd hill a humbler heaven; 
Some safer world in depth of woods embraced 
Some happier island in the watery waste. 

Language. — Like the other emotions of the trans- 
cendental group the countenance is open and hope- 



202 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

ful, the eyes glance upward; and the month is a 
little open. All the attitudes are relatively upward. 
The tones of the voice are clear, pure, subdued and 
reverential. 

Cato's Soliloquy. 

It must be so ; — Plato, thou reasonest well ! 
Else, whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire, 
This longing after immortality ? 
Or whence this secret dread, and inward horror, 
Of falling into nought ? Why shrinks the soul 
Back on herself, and startles at destruction ? 
'Tis the Divinity that stirs within us : 
'Tis Heaven itself that points out an hereafter, 
And intimates Eternity to man. 
Eternity! — thou pleasing, — dreadful thought! 
Through what variety of untried being, 
Through what new scenes and changes we must pass ! 
The wide, the unbounded prospect lies before me ; 
But shadows, clouds, and darkness rest upon it. 






Immoktality of the Soul. 
How can it enter into the thoughts of man, that the soul, 
which is capable of such immense perfections, and of receiving 
new improvements to all eternity, shall fall away into nothing al- 
most as soon as it is created ? Are such abilities made for no pur- 
pose ? A brute arrives at a point of perfection that he can never 
pass : in a few years he has all the endowments he is capable of ; 
and were he to live ten thousand more, would be the same thing 
he is at present. Were a human soul thus at a stand in her ac- 
complishments, were her faculties to be full blown, and incapable 
of farther enlargement, I could imagine it might fall away insensi- 
bly, and drop at once into a state of annihilation. But can we 
believe that a thinking being, which is in a perpetual progress of 
improvements, and travelling on from perfection to perfection, — 
after having just looked abroad into the works of her Creator, and 
made a few discoveries of His infinite goodness, wisdom, and 
power, — must perish at her first setting out, and in the very be- 
ginning of her inquiries ?" — Addison, 



TRANSCENDENTAL GEOUP. 203 

Joy. — The powerful emotion of joy is important 
in oratory. The occasions which call forth the ex- 
pression of joy are many and will occur frequently 
in sermons, addresses, or orations. It will be the 
duty of the speaker to refer to joyful subjects so as 
to produce joy in the hearts of his audience. It is a 
good rule worth remembering that the joyful or buoy- 
ant mental states when they influence delivery make 
it more natural, animating and interesting. A man 
in love with his subject will be so full of rejoicing 
that he will endeavor to transmit such feelings to his 
audience. The occasions which ca]l for joy are those 
that gratify our longings or desires. Good news, 
glad tidings, unexpected prosperity, or recovery 
from sickness, the return of friends, are some of the 
many occasions which call for rejoicing. 

Language. — The language of joy resembles that of 
cheerfulness. The countenance is unwrinkled, free 
from all trace of care, satisfied, frank and open. The 
head is held erect, not haughty but buoyant, the eyes 
sparkle with delight, the mouth smiles fondly and 
moves quickly in the pronunciation of the words. 
The hands and arms are thrown out toward the loved 
object. The limbs move briskly, the walk is quick 
and lively. All the movements of the arms, limbs, 
and body are full of grace and harmony. The lan- 
guage varies, according to the cause, from a simple 
to a violent state of energy. The expression of the 
proud or haughty man's joy differs from the more 
humble or sensitive man's. The lover betrays rap- 
turous joy. Love is a passion so strong that when- 
ever it is awakened it makes its influence supreme. 
The expression of joy when love sways the mind is 
full of ecstacy. All the actions in simple joy and 
cheerfulness are vigorously increased. There will 



204 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

also be clapping of hands, shouts and exclamations. 
If the lovers are present they will rush into each 
other's arms, uttering at the same time some fond pet 
name or exclamation. They repeatedly kiss, embrace 
and hug each other ; gaze lovingly into each other's 
faces, smooth back the hair from the forehead, or 
press their cheeks together as they lie in each other's 
arms. Sometimes in excessive joy tears are shed. 
The voice is full, swelling, orotund ; quality clear and 
melodious ; utterance loud, high and lively, with 
rapid changes of inflection. 

Rapture is a species of joy, but its expressions are 
somewhat different. Quiet rapture expresses itself as 
follows : The attitudes of the body are reclining, the 
limbs and arms droop by their own weight. The ex- 
pression of the face is languishing, the eyes stare 
and the mouth smiles. The voice is round and full ; 
quality clear, loud and animated. 

Laughter is the language of the joyful emotions. 
There are two classes of muscles which control the 
mouth. Those which draw the mouth widely apart 
and those which surround and control the lips. These 
two classes of muscles are antagonistic to each other. 
When a joyful or witty idea takes possession of the 
mind the former class of muscles are contracted and 
the latter relaxed. Hence the mouth stretches open 
from side to side and the cheeks are raised to the 
lower eyelid. This position of the features forms a 
smile which may become a laugh by a still greater 
relaxation and contraction of those muscles. The 
simple states of joy, the delight of meeting a friend, 
the pleasure of witnessing a play relax the lips and 
form a dimple upon the cheeks. As laughter is the 
expression of the joyful mental states it may be well 
to consider its language more in detail. 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 205 

Man is eminently a laughing- animal. He laughs 
when he is tickled, when he plays, when he eats, when 
witty and when joyful news comes to him. The broad 
grin, the loving smile, the good-natured laugh are 
terms which show by their frequent use how common 
is laughter. The sound of laughter is produced by 
the respiratory organs. A full breath is drawn in and 
expands the chest and is then thrown out in short, 
interrupted, audible sounds. The muscles of the 



Laughter. 

throat, neck, and diaphragm are violently agitated. 
The head nods to and fro with the shaking of the 
body. The sides of the body are held and the person 
is incapable of voluntary actions. Keen observers of 
human nature have correctly described laughter as 
" holding both her sides." The difference between a 
smile and a laugh is due to the relative friction of 



206 ELOCUTION AND OEATOKY. 

the muscles of the mouth and lips. In smiling the 
mouth is but slightly open and the cheeks a little 
drawn up in the direction of the eyes. In laughing 
the mouth is wide open with the corners drawn great- 
ly backwards and a little upwards. The cheeks are 
drawn upward toward the eyes and away from the 
mouth in a direction sideward and upward. This 
position of features gives to the cheeks a puffed-out 
appearance. The lower eyelid is full, large and cir- 
cular in shape. The wrinkles made by the contrac- 
tion and relaxation of the muscles of the face are 
also circular. The eyes are bright and have a merry 
twinkle. The expression of laughter varies from a 
moderate to a violent outburst. In the more violent 
forms of laughter the whole body shakes or becomes 
convulsed ; the respiration is disturbed, the face red- 
dens with blood. Sometimes tears are shed in the 
paroxysm of excessive laughter. 

The signs of laughter are frequently employed to 
conceal some other state of mind. Anger, shame 
and fear are often thus masked. When a pretended 
smile or laugh is blended with the proper language 
of contempt or scorn it conveys the impression that 
the offense offered singly excites amusement. 

Joy. 

" O come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful noise 
to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence 
with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 
For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all Gods. O ! 
come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the 
Lord our maker. For he is our God ; and we are the people of 
his pasture and the sheep of his hands. 



Lo ! the mighty sun looks forth I 
, Arm thou leader of the North. 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 207 

Lo ! the mists of twilight fly — 
We must vanish, thou must die. 
By the sword, and by the spear, 
By the hand that knows not fear, 
Sea king, nobly shalt thou fall ! 
There is joy in Odin's hall. 

— Mrs. Hemari's. 

yotjng nobval rejoices to find that he is the son of lord 
Douglas. 
Eventful day ! how hast thou chang'd my state ! 
Once on the cold, and winter-shaded side 
Of a bleak hill mischance had rooted me, 
Never to thrive, child of another soil : 
Transplanted now to the gay sunny vale, 
Like the green thorn of May my fortune flowers. 
Ye glorious stars, high heav'n's resplendent host ! 
To whom I oft have of my lot complain' d, 
Hear and record my soul's unalter'd wish! 
Dead or alive, let me but be renown'd ! 
May heav'n inspire some fierce gigantic Dane, 
To give a bold defiance to our host ! 
Before he speaks it out I will accept ; 
Like Douglas conquer, or like Douglas die. 

— Dr. Howe. 



Lady Randolph Rejoices at the Restoration of her long 
lost Child. 

Lady Rand. 'Tis he ! 'tis he himself ! It is my son I 
O ! sovereign mercy ! 'Twas my child I saw ! 
No wonder, Anna, that my bosom burn'd. 
Unparallel'd event ! 
Reaching from heav'n to earth, Jehovah's arm 
Snatch'd from the waves, and brings to me my son ! 
Judge of the widow and the orphan's father I 
Accept a widow's and a mother's thanks 
For such a gift ! "What does my Anna think 
Of the young eaglet of a valiant nest ? 
How soon he gaz'd on bright and burning arms, 
Spurn' d the low dunghill where his fate had thrown him, 
And tower'd up to the region of his sire ! 

— Dr. Howe. 



208 ELOCUTION AND OBATOKY. 

Delight is an emotion of the same nature as joy. 
It is really a moderate manifestation of joy, and 
springs from the contemplation of pleasing objects. 
" O Life ! how pleasant in thy morning, 
Young fancy's rays the hills adorning." 
" Come gentle spring ! ethereal mildness come." 
Those evening bells, those evening bells, 
How many a tale their music tells. 
Gatety. 
Down the dimpled greensward dancing, 
Burst a flaxen headed bevy 
Bud-lipped boys and girls advancing j 
Love's irregular little levee 
Rows of liquid eyes in laughter, 
How they glimmer, how they quiver, 
Sparkling one another after ! 
Like bright ripples on a river 
Tipsy band of rubious faces 
Flushed with joy's eternal spirit 
Make you mocks and sly grimaces 
At love's self and do not fear it. 

—Geo. Doyrley. 



Cheerfulness. — When a man is successful in the per- 
suance of his duties or aims he is generally in good 
spirits. Cheerfulness is the emotion which attends 
success and happiness. To have the desires of mind 
and body satisfied, to be in the company of those we 
love or engaged in pursuits agreeable to our taste, 
stimulates cheerfulness. A cheerful loving and ani- 
mated spirit is a condition of success in speaking and 
reading. An audience hates gloom and moroseness. 
Be lively, be vigorous in all your expressions, be in 
love with your subject and you cannot fail to enliven 
your audience with like emotions. Nothing tends 
to destroy an advocate's cause more than a gloomy, 
distrustful disposition. He who speaks in a gloomy 



TKANSCENDENTAL GKOUP. 209 

tone of voice of the measures he advocates will in- 
evitably convey the impression to his audience that 
if his principles are not useless they are at least 
gloomy. On the other hand, the speaker who is full 
of cheerfulness will appear to have acquired that 
spirit from the practice of the very principles he re- 
commends, and the audience will be more willing to 
cake up his cause. Nothing can be more detrimental 
to the spread of Christianity than the gloomy, sad, 
sober countenance and manner which characterizes 
the delivery of too many ministers. They very often 
speak of the most thrilling, buoyant, animating and 
life-inspiring principles of the religion of Jesus as if 
they were fit only for a race of dyspeptics, broken- 
hearted men or sadly disappointed outcasts. The 
melancholy monotonous voice, sedate and settled 
manner, lack lustre eye, timorous movements of the 
hands and body, as if the speaker were afraid to 
offend the taste of his listeners, all conspire to make 
Christianity a religion of gloom and sorrow. Its 
sublime truths which answer the inmost longing of 
the human heart, the cry for rescue out of the depths 
of sorrow, the yearnings after immortality, the joyful 
aspiration after a pure and abiding love, the eager 
desire to rest in the infinite power of the Creator, 
truths which are able to thrill with joy the hearts of 
the most despondent are shorn of their power by 
lifeless drawl, holy whine, chromatic chant and 
sepulchral wail. The best way to recommend any 
cause to men and women is to talk of that cause in a 
cheerful manner. Cultivate cheerfulness then as an 
effective element in oratory. 

Language. — A man in cheerful spirits exhibits 
a pleasant countenance, the lips are almost smiling, 
the eyes are bright. The blood mounts to the face 



210 ELOCUTION AND OBATORY. 

and imparts a healthy color. The movements are 
flexible, rapid and expressive. The brain, being 
stimulated by the increased flow of blood, acts vigor- 
ously in response to the mental states. The ideas are 
animated and joyful. The body is held erect, the 
head upright, and the eyes brightly open. The 
frontal muscles relax slightly, and hence the brow is 
smooth without wrinkles or frowns. The voice has 
clear, musical and mirthful tones, rising inflection, 
swelling medial stress. 

CONSCIENTIOUS CLASS. 

Conscientiousness. — There is in the human con- 
stitution an instinct or faculty whose function it is to 
produce the sentiment of justice, or a feeling of duty, 
love of truth and right, independently of selfishness, 
fear of punishment, hope of reward or any extrensic 
motive. This faculty plays a prominent part in hu- 
man action, and judges of motives and deeds, in the 
light of inborn principles of right and wrong. In its 
simple state of activity it originates the sentiment of 
obligation and equity and imparts the desire to do 
what is right and perform our duty in whatever cir- 
cumstances we are placed. Its expression in such a 
state is simple, an open countenance, frank expres- 
sion, and prompt avowals of misconduct in word or 
action. When the intellect sits in judgment and ap- 
proves the principles of right and duty suggested by 
conscientiousness then this faculty becomes more 
emotional. Then duty is loved for its own sake and 
unrighteousness is detested. These emotional states 
may be designated by the terms, love of justice or 
duty, love of truth, repentance, remorse, and guilt. 

Love of Justice. — This is a powerful emotion and 
prompts to the performance of duty. It is the law- 



TBANSCENDENTAL GKOUP. 211 

abiding emotion. Our courts of justice owe their 
existence to its influence and when they fail to do 
their duty in the punishment of criminals, the emo- 
tion of justice may become so passionate that it re- 
sorts to lynch law in order that wrong- may be pun- 
ished and right protected. It venerates law only so 
long as it is an instrument for the furtherance of 
equity, but when it fails to do justice this feeling 
will rebel against law. Thus truly showing that law 
itself depends upon the innate sense of right and 
wrong, and is only to be reverenced and maintained 
when it obeys the dictates of this sense. 

Language. — When this emotion is powerful it 
manifests itself in the conduct. The manner is ear- 
nest, frank and honest and inspires confidence and 
conviction. A person acting under the influence of 
the emotion of justice will be scrupulously rigid in 
the performance of all duties. Time of appointments 
will be duly kept. His watchword, like Nelson's, will 
be duty. Prompt to speak, to command, and to per- 
form his obligations. A readiness to confess his own 
errors and to criticise evil conduct in others. Jus- 
tice will be done in defiance of fear, love, and selfish 
interest. When this passion is intensely excited it 
leads to the discharge of duty even if every other 
sentiment is wounded and outraged. Friendship, 
filial love, humanity, are sacrificed on the altars of 
duty. The judge will discharge his functions like 
the Eoman magistrate of old who mingled the tears 
of parental affection with the blood of a son, shed by 
his own hand, to preserve the laws of his country. 
In all personal relations there is a delicate discrimi- 
nation of motives and conduct ; every feeling is 
made subject to it. When the love emotions are 
weak, misconduct and dereliction of dutvare regarded 



212 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

as grave offences. There is a lack of forgiveness and 
a rigid execution of punishment. The features will 
lose their open and genial expression and become 
cold and hard. An imperious sense of duty will be 
uppermost in the struggle with the more merciful 
sentiment. The resistive and executive emotions will 
come to the aid of the love of justice, calmness and 
energy will be added to the expression of righteous- 
ness. The voice is firm, clear, and honest in expres- 
sion. Its tones are not equivocal but resolute and 
decided. Falling inflection prevails ; the rate of ut- 
terance is calm and unimpassioned. 

Love of Truth. — This emotion is similar to the love 
of justice, and has the same language. Its special 
tendency is to tell a round, unvarnished tale, and to 
hate deceit. When it is passionately active there is 
strict impartiality, a total disregard of conclusions, 
whether favorable or unfavorable to preconceived 
notions. Truth is sought, loved and steadfastly 
adhered to for its own sake, and all the other emo- 
tions and passions must be subject to it. A person 
in whose breast the passion of love of truth reigns 
will rather die than tell a lie. Lying is regarded by 
such as cowardly and mean, and the telling of truth 
as brave and right. Love of duty and truth are very 
powerful oratorical emotions. The orator may al- 
ways render his speech persuasive if he can impress 
men and women with his sincerity and truthfulness. 
In order to do this he must refrain from exaggera- 
tions and the utterance of doubtful statements and 
give the impression that what is stated is underrated 
and imperfectly set forth in language. He can also 
successfully appeal to their sense of justice and truth 
and to the necessity to fulfil all obligations and 
duties. 



TBANSCENDENTAL GKOUP. 213 

Repentance. — The sentiment of repentance is the 
result of an awakened conscience. Conscience in its 
exact measurement of right and wrong reveals that 
our words and actions have not only been unworthy 
of us, but contrary to the inviolable principles of 
righteousness ; hence we feel ashamed of our actions 
and desire to make amends. 

Language. — The look is downcast, the eyes roll 
with indecision, the movements indicate fear lest for- 
giveness should not be granted. In appealing for 
pardon the signs of shame and confusion will display 
themselves in face and manner. The blush of self- 
abasement, the humble attitude of wounded pride 
and self-respect, the confused looks and words of a 
person under the influence of the conflicting emo- 
tions of fear, sorrow, and the desire to make amends 
for the evil committed will be present in the appeal 
made to the injured one. If the repentance is deep, 
tears may flow down the cheeks, and all the attitudes 
will be those of humility and dejection. The voice is 
broken ; tones changeful ; quality aspirate, plaintive 
and sobbing. Sighs and moans and sorrowful ex- 
clamations burst forth from the troubled breast. The 
utterance is restless, nervous, and irregular. 
The Peodigal Son. 
How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough 
and to spare, and I perish with hunger ! I will arise and go to 
my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against 
heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy 
son ; make me as one of thy hired servants ! 



The Psalmist's Conteition. 
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kind- 
ness ; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot 
out my transgressions ! Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity 
and cleanse me from mv sin. Against thee, thee only, have I 



214 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. Hide thy face from my 
sins, and blot out all mine iniquities ! Deliver me from blood-guilt, 
ness, O God, thou God of my salvation ! 






Guilt. — The feeling" of guilt like many others is 
compound and very difficult to analyze. The causes 
are many and the degrees of manifestation so various 
that we must know the cause before we can describe 
its language. There are two feelings in man, however, 
which direct the expression of guilt. Conscientious- 
ness and the love of approval. Conscience may plead 
with the culprit and may awaken fear of retribution 
in his mind. When this is the case the anxious and 
troubled mind will show itself in bodily attitudes and 
exclamations. It will be hard for the guilty one to 
remain quiet or calm in the presence of others, es- 
pecially those who would be likely to reveal his crime. 
The mention of circumstances, places or persons as- 
sociated with the evil deed will cause involuntary 
starts and exclamations referring to the crime. The 
mind by constantly dwelling upon the circumstances 
of the deed committed will become morbid and un- 
naturally sensitive to the slightest allusion. If suc- 
cess and prosperity have come through the perpetration 
of the evil deed, the guilty person will be always fear- 
ful lest discovery should steal away that prosperity. 
His conscience, his fears, his dread of public exposure, 
his inability to dismiss the horrible deed from his 
mind will weaken his nervous organization so that 
the slightest word or sound may appall him. The 
final stage of guilt arrives when one by one the bene- 
fits obtained by the crime are slipping away, when 
one by one accomplices have suffered retribution, 
investigation has revealed the only possible method 
of perpetration, and the hand of the detective points 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 215 

in the direction of the guilty one. Then in truth 
the guilt-troubled soul starts at its own shadow, sees a 
spy in every quivering leaf, hears the step of the ex- 
ecutioner in every passer-by, beholds the trial court 
with its glib-speaking lawyers, pale-faced witnesses 
solemn jury, and sober judge with visage grim. The pe- 
rusal of passages in books on the detection of crime, 
notes in the newspapers on'criminal executions or km g- 
hidden crimes revealed by accidental causes are 
sufficient to throw him into convulsions of rage or 
terror. His health slips from him, his courage fails, 
his imagination is full of the spectres of crime, his 
victims in visible presence are before his eyes, the 
ghastly gibbet hourly stares him in the face. His 
looks are wild, his garb disordered and in the paroxysm 
of terror and smitten conscience he confesses his 
crime. 

In minor offences, such as the neglect of duty or ob- 
ligations, the performance of things not approved by 
the best societj^, the love of approbation directs the 
expression of guilt. The blush on the face tells the 
tale in most of these offences. In a guilty man no 
matter what the crime is there are commonly some 
broad signs which reveal the state of his mind within. 
He avoids looking at his accuser or gives him stolen 
looks, the eyes are turned askance or waver from side 
to side, the eyelids are lowered or partly closed. The 
tones of the voice are aspirate, guttural and pectoral ; 
utterance is broken, irregular, sobbing and tearful. 
Indecision, suspicion and dread characterize all the 
vocal expression. 

Conscience Reproves the guilty Murderers. 

First Murd. How dost thou feel thyself now ? 

Sec. Murd. 'Faith, some certain dregs of conscience are yet 
within me. 



216 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

First Murd. Remember our reward, when the deed is done. 

Sec. Murd. 'Zounds, he dies ; I had forgot the reward. 

First Murd. Where is thy conscience now ? 

Sec. Murd. In the Duke of Gloucester's purse. 

First Murd. So when he opens his purse to give us our reward 

thy conscience flies out. 

Sec. Murd. Let it go ; there's few or none will entertain it. 

First Murd. How if it come to thee again ? 

Sec. Murd. I'll not meddle with it : it is a dangerous thing : it 

makes a man a coward : a man cannot steal, but it accuseth him . 

» 

he cannot swear, but it checks him ; he cannot lie with his neigh- 
bor's wife, but it detects him ; 'tis a blushing shamefast spirit that 
mutinies in a man's bosom ; it fills one full of obstacles : it made 
me once restore a purse of gold that I found ; it beggars any man 
that keeps it : it is turned out of all towns and cities for a danger- 
ous thing ; and every man that means to live well endeavors to 
trust to himself and to live without it. 

First Murd. 'Zounds, it is even now at my elbow, persuading 
me not to kill the duke. 

Sec. Murd. Take the devil in thy mind, and believe him not ; 
he would insinuate with thee but to make thee sigh. 

First Murd. Tut, I am strong-framed, he cannot prevail me, I 
warrant thee. 

Sec. Murd. Spoke like a tall fellow that respects his reputa- 
tion. Come, shall we to this gear? 

First Murd. Take him over the costard with the hilts of thy 
sword, and then we will chop him in the malmsey-butt in the next 
room. 



Remorse is the result of a terror-stricken con- 
science. It is a darker kind of repentance. It is 
not a simple but a complex emotion, although the 
root element is an alarmed conscience. Fear, anxiety, 
shame, sorrow, and guilt manifest themselves in its 
expression. The expression of remorse varies with 
the greater or less degree of activity of its compo- 
nent elements. In the simple state of activity remorse 
resembles repentance. The eyes are cast down or 
bent upon the ground ; the countenance is depressed. 



TRANSCENDENTAL GROUP. 217 

the lips may be pressed together. If a feeling of 
penitence or contrition predominates, then the eyes 
are raised to heaven, but with an appearance of 
doubt and anxiety, and quickly cast down again to 
the earth. Tears frequently flow and the attitudes 
are penitential. The knees are bent, the arms ex- 
tended and the hands clasped in supplication. When 
the darker feelings of terror, guilt and despair pre- 
dominate the language becomes more violent. If 
the person has committed a murder he will prob- 
ably be haunted by the visage of his victim. The 
blood of the innocent man swims before his eyes, his 
piercing cries for mercy sound in his ears. The time, 
place and circumstance of the crime are ever visible 
to his imagination. Guilt adds terror to his vision, 
a look from others is a sign of discovery, every noise 
startles him, he mistrusts everybody and everything. 
His conscience burns his heart with red hot iron, 
his ill-gotten gains cling to his fingers. His counte- 
nance darkens with wrinkles, his eyes are sunken, 
having a hideous, cruel expression. The lines at the 
side of the nose and mouth are marked. The atti- 
tudes are restless ; walk timid and irregular ; motion 
of hands and fingers trembling and lifeless ; throws 
himself upon the ground or on his couch, strikes his 
forehead or beats his breast or tears his hair. The 
voice is interrupted by frequent sighs and sobs, the 
quality is plaintive, harsh and aspirate, the utterance 
is irregular and expresses doubt, fear, hesitation and 
contention. 

Remoese. 

O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven ; 

It hath the primal, eldest curse upon't, 

A brother's murder. Pray can I not, 

Though inclination be as sharp as will : 



218 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 






My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent ; 

And, like a man to double business bound, 

I stand in pause where I shall first begin, 

And both neglect. What if this cursed hand 

Were thicker than itself with brother's blood, 

Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens 

To wash it white as snow ? Whereto serves mercy 

But to confront the visage of offence ? 

And what's in prayer but this two-fold force, 

To be forestalled ere we come to fall, 

Or pardon'd being down? Then I'll look up ; 

My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer 

Can serve my turn ? ' Forgive me my foul murder' ? 

That cannot be ; since I am still possess'd 

Of those effects for which I did the murder, 

My crown, mine own ambition and my queen. 

May one be pardon'd and retain the offence ? 

In the corrupted currents of this world 

Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice, 

And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself 

Buys out the law : but 'tis not so above ; 

There is no shuffling, there the action lies 

In his true nature ; and we ourselves compell'd, 

Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults, 

To give in evidence. What then ? what rests ? 

Try what repentance can ; what can it not ? 

Yet what can it when one can not repent ? 

O wretched state ! O bosom black as death ! 

O limed soul, that, struggling to be free, 

Art more engaged ! Help, angels ! Make assay ! 

Bow, stubborn knees ; and, heart with strings of steel, 

Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe ! 

All may be well. 



CONDITIONS INCIDENTAL TO THE CONSCIENTIOUS 
EMOTIONS. 

Judgment. — In the dispensation of judgment the 
countenance is indicative of gravity and free from 



IMITATIVE AND MIETHFUL. 219 

any appearance of disgust or favor. The pronuncia- 
tion is slow, distinct and emphatic. The attitudes of 
the body are grave and reserved. 

Acquitting. — In the act of acquitting the language of 
benevolence supersedes tbat of justice. The counte- 
nance is open and kind. The right hand is open and 
waved gently toward the person acquitted. 

Reproving. — This condition is expressed by stern, 
harsh looks, threatening gestures, peremptory em- 
phasis and reproaching tones. 

Condemning is expressed by a severe look mingled 
with pity or severity according to the nature of the 
guilt of the criminal. 

IMITATIVE AND MIKTHFUL EMOTIONS. 

This class of emotions is very essential to the ora- 
tor. It is often desirable to imitate the voice or ac- 
tions of persons or to make an opponent's arguments 
ridiculous. Oftentimes a witty remark or humorous 
turn will demolish the most elaborate argument. 
The American people seem to grow more and more 
fond of humor and wit with each succeeding cen- 
tury. It is now almost impossible to hold an Ameri- 
can audience for an hour or two unless something is 
said or done to stimulate their mirthful emotions. All 
orators who wish to flourish on the popular lecture 
platform must cultivate a witty or humorous style. 

In the space allowed us we can only give a few 
remarks upon the cause of wit and humor. The 
source of the ridiculous lies in the perception of in- 
congruity. The elements of the ridiculous are two, 
wit and humor. Wit is a certain quickness # of fancy 
by which ideas seemingly incongruous are associated 
in a pointed and amusing manner. Humor is the 



220 ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 

quality of fancy which gives to things a ridiculous 
turn and evokes mirthfulness. 

Mimicry. — Some people have a tendency to imitate 
the speech and gestures of other people. When 
this tendency becomes pDwerful the emotion of 
mimicry arises. This emotion takes pleasure in the 
perfect imitation of men and things. Men under its 
influence will imitate with the greatest effect the 
voices and traits of character of people, and such 
imitations are immensely enjoyed by an audience. 
The actor or orator who can skillfully appeal to the 
imitative emotions will not fail to be interesting. 

Language. — The expression of the countenance is 
wonderfully varied. It seems to express the lan- 
guage of every emotion. The eyes twinkle, the face 
has a half comic expression. The features are very 
mobile and the lines of any emotion readily arise. 
Sometimes the face can assume the expression of two 
antagonistic emotions at the same time, the one half 
of the face may express joy and the other half anger, 
fear and revenge. The gestures are very appropriate 
and made with the greatest of ease. One can best 
study the gestures of this emotion by observing the 
actions of monkeys who have a natural propensity to 
imitate. The voice cannot be said to have any par- 
ticular quality, it ranges through all compasses, 
startling you by its wild screams of imitated terror or 
the incoherent mutterings of revenge. It can mimic 
cat-calls, cock-crows, the croak of the raven and the 
vocal sounds of all animals. It is generally a rollick- 
ing voice, full of mischief and trickery. 

Mirthfulness or the Sense of the Ludicrous.— This 
emotion arises when wit or humor is presented to the 
mind. Some persons are so constituted that any- 
thing ludicrous raises their risibility, Mirthfulness 



IMITATIVE AXD MIRTHFUL. 221 

is a pleasant emotion and imparts cheerfulness to 
oratory. It is questionable, however, whether after 
all it adds much to persuasion. Orators who amuse 
are not always the most persuasive, Laughter and 
mirth are not executive emotions. An audience may 
smile, laugh and cheer the witty remarks of a 
speaker and yet not follow his counsel. Still an ora- 
tor can judiciously employ the mirthful emotions if 
he gives in addition solid information and stirring in- 
centives to action. He should have a higher aim 
than merely to please, and should remember that 
laughter and applause are not actions nor the ex- 
pression of human wills, but simply the language of 
amusement. An audience may be laughing at the 
orator himself, rather than because they look with 
favor upon his cause. 

Language. — The language of mirthf illness is very 
marked. Everybody must have observed the open 
countenance, the circular wrinkles on the cheeks 
running backward from the mouth, the jolly glance, 
merry twinkle in the eye and the pleasant smile. 
All the features are open and express geniality. The 
gestures are animated and indicative of joy. The 
sides are held as in laughter. The mirthful person 
often breaks out into joyful exclamations and makes 
sudden gestures expressive of the pleasure each witty 
remark affords him. The voice is clear, hearty and 
full of life and rollicking humor. The tremor of 
laughter is generally present. There is a prevalence 
of rising inflections, high pitch and quick time. The 
style of delivery is animated and half laughing. 

HrMOE. 
Mer. O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you. 

She is the fairies' midwife, and she conies 

In shape no bigger than an agate-stone 



222 ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 

On the forefinger of an alderman, 

Drawn with a team of little atomies 

Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep ; 

Her waggon-spokes made of long spinners' legs 

The cover of the wings of grasshoppers, 

The traces of the smallest spider's web, 

The collars of the moonshine's watery beams, 

Her whip of cricket's bone, the lash of film, 

Her waggoner a small grey-coated gnat, 

Not half so big as a round little worm 

Prick' d from the lazy fingers of a maid ; 

Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut 

Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub, ■ 

Time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers. 

And in this state she gallops night by night 

Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love ; 

O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight, 

O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees, 

O'er ladies' lips, who straight on kisses dream, 

Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, 

Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are : 

Sometimes she gallops o'er a courtier's nose, 

And then dreams he of smelling out a suit; 

And sometimes comes she with a tithe-pig's tail 

Tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep, 

Then dreams he of another benefice : 

Sometimes she driveth o'er a soldier's neck, 

And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, 

Of breeches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, 

Of healths five-fathom deep ; and then anon 

Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, 

And being thus frightened swears a prayer or two, 

And sleeps again. 



THE ESTHETIC OR IMAGINATIVE. 
The aesthetic emotions are the source of the beauti- 
ful in art, for they invest ideas and thoughts with 
a loveliness not their own. They are essential to the 
highest flights of oratory, since they adorn thought 



THE ESTHETIC OR ^AGINATIVE. 223 

and sentiment with splendid diction and imaginative 
lustre. All conceptions of the human mind, intel- 
lectual and emotional, when arranged in the garb of 
these emotions glow with irresistible power. They 
add persuasiveness to gesture, voice and verbal lan- 
guage. Unlike the other emotions their scope is un- 
limited, since they are not restricted to a particular 
class of ideas or emotions but can add their peculiar 
beauty to every sentiment and idea. They render 
love more lovely, courage more heroic, and intellect- 
ual thought more attractive by the splendor of their 
ideal creations. 

Emotions of the Beautiful The sources of the 

beautiful are of two kinds, natural and moral beauty. 
Natural beauty arises from color, form, motion, pro- 
portion, variety and design. The beautiful in morals 
arises from the contemplation of sentiments, words 
and actions, especially those of the milder qualities 
and virtues. The milder qualities are joy, happiness, 
meekness, gracefulness, peace, refinement, truth, 
chastity ; and the gentler virtues, love, gentleness, 
goodness, forbearance, temperance, and the like. 

Language. — Since the emotions of the beautiful 
impart a peculiar loveliness to ideas and other emo- 
tions it is hard to separate their own particular lan- 
guage, but it may be observed that these emotions 
illumine the countenance with a poetic glow. The 
eyes gleam with rapture, the eyebrows are somewhat 
elevated and all the features are open and the lines 
on the face form beautiful curves. The quality of 
voice is a clear, musical and effusive orotund, accent 
sweet and harmonious, emphasis regular and not 
marked. The style of elocution is harmonious, 
euphonious and elegant. 



224 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Beauty and Pathos. 
Queen. There is a willow grows aslant a brook, 
That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream ; 
There with fantastic garlands did she come 
Of crow -flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples 
That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, 
But our cold maids do dead men's fingers call them ; 
There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds 
Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke ; 
When down her weedy trophies and herself 
Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide; 
And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up : 
Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes : 
As one incapable of her own distress, 
Or like a creature native and indued 
Unto that element : but long it could not be 
Till, that her garments, heavy with their drink, 
Pull'd the poor wretch from her melodious lay 
To muddy death. 



Sublime emotions arise from the contemplation 
of objects which raise feelings of elevation in the 
mind. The dashing cataract, the swollen river tear- 
ing down the mountain side, sweeping all before it, 
the avalanche rushing headlong down into the plain 
are all examples of the sublime. In nature the sources 
of the sublime are the vast and boundless ; events and 
objects which inspire feelings of awe, terror and 
power, deeds of heroism and self-sacrifice. 
Beauty and Sublimity. 

This is the place, — the centre of the grove ; — 
Here stands the oak, the monarch of the wood ; 
How sweet and solemn is the midnight scene ! 
The silver moon unclouded holds her way 
Through skies where I could count each little star ; 
The fanning west wind scarcely stirs the leaves ; 
The river, rushing o'er its pebbled bed, 
Imposes silence with a stilly sound. 



THE ESTHETIC OR IMAGINATIVE. 225 

In such a place as this, at such an hour, — 
If ancestry may be in aught believed, — 
Descending spirits have conversed with man, 
And told the secrets of the world unknown." 

Language. — The sublime emotions impart power W 
the expression of the countenance. The eyes are 
wide open and express wonder and amazement. The 
eyebrows are somewhat elevated. The bearing- is 
noble and lofty. Gestures are wide, expansive and 
all-embracing. Both arms are frequently raised 
above the head in a circular movement when the per- 
son contemplates a sublime scene or event. The 
voice is a round, effusive orotund ; time slow, vowel 
sounds full and sonorous. The delivery is character- 
ized throughout by monotones with occasional falling 
inflection and by grandeur, depth and resonance. 

SUBLIMITY AND PATHOS. 
Ossian's Aposteophe to the Sun. 
" O thou that rollest above, round as the shield of my fathers! 
whence are thy beams, O sun! thy everlasting light? Thou com- 
est forth in thy awful beauty : the stars hide themselves in the 
sky; the moon cold and pale, sinks in the western wave. But 
thou thyself movest alone : who can be a companion of thy course? 
The oaks of the mountains fall ; the mountains themselves decay 
with years ; the ocean shrinks and grows again ; the moon her. 
self is lost in the heavens; but thou art forever the same, rejoicing 
in the brightness of thy course. When the world is dark with tem- 
pests, when thunders roll and lightnings fly, thou lookest in thy 
beauty from the clouds, and laughest at the storm. — But to Ossian 
thou lookest in vain ; for he beholds thy beams no more ; whether 
thy yellow hair floats on the eastern clouds, or thou tremblest at 
the gates of the west. But thou art, perhaps, like me, — for a sea- 
son : thy years will have an end. Thou wilt sleep in thy clouds, 
careless of the voice of the morning." 



CHAPTEK YIII. 



GROUP OF MISCELLANEOUS INTELLECTUAL, EMOTIONS, RE- 
FLECTION, MEDITATION AND ABSTRACTION. 

Reflection is an operation of an active mind when 
seeking- to ascertain the cause or truth of things. The 
conduct of men under reflection will be different ac- 
cording to the depth of the problem and the nature 
of the thing under study. 

Language. — Men may walk and yet be absorbed in 
reflection, but the steps will be quiet and interrupted 
at times. The face has a serious and meditative look. 
The eyes are thoughtful and penetrating. The head 
inclines a little forward, the shoulders are slightly 
bent. Students have generally a stooping posture. 
The features are calm and harmonious. When the 
thoughts are obstructed by some difficulty which has 
arisen in the solution of the problem, the eyebrows 
are knit and energy of mind is displayed. The knit- 
ting of eyebrows is generally regarded as indicative 
of intense thought. In obstructed meditation the 
attitudes also become different. The movements of 
the body are nervous. The hand may pass across 
the forehead or be placed below the chin or touch 
the organs of reflection on the brow. If sitting, the 
(226) 



MISCELLANEOUS EMOTIONS. 



227 



person may lean back in his chair, fold his arms on 
his chest, the elbows may rest on the table, the head 
supported by the hands. The attitude may not change 
until the problem is solved. The movements will be- 
come restless if the problem seems unsolyable. Fin- 
gers may rise to the lips, 
the hands play with the 
leaves of a book or catch 
hold of the coat or vest near 
the breast. If walking, the 
steps are irregular, abrupt, 
slow and halting. There 
maybe occasionally sudden 
stops and the hands strike 
the forehead, or the arms 
may fold across the chest, 
the eyebrows lowered over 
the eyes and corrugated 
muscles knit themselves 
more strongly. The voice 
has dubitative and calcu- Keflective. 

lated tones. Inflections changeful, rising, circumflex 
and falling according to the stages of thought. Ut- 
terance slow and subject to sudden pauses and rapid 
transitions. 

Hamlet's Reflection veex about to kill his Uxcle. 
Ham. ^ T ow might I do it pat, now he is praying; 

And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven; 

And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd : 

A villain kills my father ; and for that, 

I, his sole son, do the same villain send 

To heaven. 

O, this is hire and salary, not revenge. 

He took my father grossly, full of bread. 




jtteditation or Abstraction. — When a man is in a 



228 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

brown study the brows do not knit but the eyes ap- 
pear vacant. This vacant expression is characteristic 
of a person lost in thought. The lower eyelids are 
generally raised and wrinkled after the manner of a 
short-sighted person who tries to distinguish a far- 
away object. The head may drop forward. The 
voice is monotonous, utterance slow, deliberate and 
expressive of continuity of thought. 

Hamlet's Meditations. 
Ham. I will tell you why ; so shall my anticipation prevent 
your discovery, and your secrecy to the king and queen moult no 
feather. I have of late — but wherefore I know not— lost all my 
mirth, forgone all custom of exercises ; and indeed it goes so 
heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems 
to me a sterile promontory, this most excellent canopy, the air, 
look you, this brave o'rhanging firmament, this majestical roof 
fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than 
a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. What a piece of 
work is a man ! how noble in reason ! how infinite in faculty ! in 
form and moving how express and admirable ! in action how like 
an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the 
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this 
quintessence of dust? man delights not me: no, nor woman 
neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so. 






CHAPTEE IX. 



APPETITIVE GROUP — GLUTTONY, DRUNKENNESS. 

Alimentiveness. — The primitive function of this 
propensity is to produce a healthy appetite. It is 
necessary to cultivate it in order to supply the natural 
wants of the body. It is therefore important to the 
orator more in a physiological than an oratorical sense. 
Yet even in the latter sense the study of its condi- 
tions is very useful, especially to the actor and elo- 
cutionary reader. It sometimes becomes necessary 
for the actor or reader to personate the character of 
the glutton or drunkard, and hence a study of the 
conditions of the alimentative propensity is neces- 
sary as a factor in oratorical analysis. 

Gluttony is a depraved appetite for food which fol- 
lows from perverted alimentiveness. The glutton loves 
food not for the nourishment which it brings, but for 
its own sake. The Scripture expresses very well the 
religion of the glutton in the phrase, " Whose god is 
their belly." He lives to eat ; all his thoughts are con- 
centrated on the one object — the pleasure of eating. 
To him the table groaning with the weight of the 
costly viands is the most pleasant sight in the world- 
His face is round and full, his cheeks hang down fat 
and flabby. When sitting at a table spread with vi- 
(229) 



230 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ands, his actions are expressive of the enjoyment which 
he experiences in eating. The very sight of a favor- 
ite dish will cause a smile of satisfaction. His eyes 
gloat over the food before him, and he seems oblivious 
to everything around him. He sometimes rubs his 
hands to express his satisfaction in the pleasure which 
the very sight of food affords him. When engaged 
in eating, an indescribable thrill of enjoyment takes 
possession of his whole body. All his actions show 
the avidity of his appetite. Sometimes he eats slow- 
ly as if to prolong the pleasure each morsel imparts ; 
then again he rapidly devours the food as if his ap- 
petite was so keen that no amount of food would be 
able to satisfy it. He fills the glass to the brim, drinks 
slowly, shuts his eyes, and makes a clicking noise 
with his tongue, or draws in his breath with a peculiar 
sound as if to express his gratification. When he 
carves a fowl or cuts a roast of meat he appears de- 
lighted to see the gravy gush out. He places the 
meat on his plate in large slices, and puts as much of 
it in his mouth at one time as he can, in order that his 
palate may enjoy the full flavor. The actions of the 
gourmand at table will vary according to his knowledge 
of polite etiquette. Although a glutton would natur- 
ally take the very bones in his fingers in order to strip 
them of their flesh, and suck his fingers afterward, yet 
he may restrain such actions in the presence of good 
society. The hands of the gourmand are generally 
short, stubby, fat and of a white color, since they are 
unused to manual labor. All the actions of the glut- 
ton are slow and lack energy, except the operations 
of his mouth, which are always active. 

Drunkenness arises from perverted alimentive- 
ness. The desire for drink is natural and may be 



APPETITIVE GROUP. 231 

sufficiently gratified by water, milk, and other ali- 
mentive liquids, but the desire for intoxicating" drink 
is a perversion. The passion for drink is degrading 
in the highest degree. No man who values his honor, 
dignity and manhood should ever be guilty of this 
vice. The language of drunkenness is very marked 
and can be easily read. The bloated countenance, 
scattered blood-vessels filled with venous blood which 
ramify the face in every direction mark out him 
who tarries long at the wine. The red nose, rapid 
breathing and changeable color of face also tell a 
tale. Some may become corpulent and beery -looking 
through the effects of long dissipation, or the blood 
may become poisoned and so induce a very unhealthy 
appearance. In the advanced stage of intemperance 
the nerves are prostrated, irritable and morbidly sen- 
sitive to all kinds of sound. The glass trembles in 
the hand, the mouth quivers and the eyes lose their 
natural color and are bloodshot or expressionless. 
The expression of the countenance of a man under 
the influence of drink is stupid and idiotic, and his 
mental condition corresponds exactly with this ex- 
pression. A repulsive idiocy controls his mind so 
that he does not know one thought or one action 
from another ; he calls his right hand his left or mis- 
takes a lamp-post for his wife. The actions of a per- 
son under the influence of drink will vary according 
to his character ; some are mild and full of love, 
others" are beset with the more violent passions of 
anger, rage and destruction and hence are danger- 
ous. Sometimes the conduct of men when drunk is 
just the opposite to their actions when sober ; mild 
and inoffensive characters may be very obnoxious 
and hateful when drunk, or vice versa. 



232 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



CONDITIONS OR EMOTIONAL STATES NOT PECULIAR TO 
ANY ONE FACULTY BUT TO ALL : 

Sorrow, weeping, pain, grief, sighing, laughing, 
appeal, sentimentality, tranquility, indifference, 
gloom. 

Sorrow — When we have been disappointed in our 
expectations or deprived of objects we love we feel 
low-spirited. This depressing mental state may 
become more intense and is then called sorrow. In 
sorrow there is a general languor of the whole coun- 
tenance. The spirits are depressed, sadness pervades 
the whole constitution. The body droops, the eyes 
are heavy and wet with tears. The upper eyelid half 
covers the pupil of the eye. The lips are relaxed by 
the falling of the lower jaw. In the more excessive 
stage of sorrow called grief, the 
movements are more violent. 
But the bodily powers soon be- 
come exhausted, then a deep- 
rooted melancholy follows. The 
circulation becomes languid, the 
face pale and a general sense of 
weariness relaxes the muscles 
of the body. The sufferer may 
rock himself to and fro or re- 
main in a passive position. Af- 
ter long suffering the eyes become dull and expres- 
sionless. The cheeks and corners of the mouth are 
drawn down. Breathing becomes slow and feeble. 
In its most passionate state the countenance assumes 
the language of pain. The voice utters the complaints 
of the wounded affection in shrieks, cries, and loud 
tones. The gestures are frantic, the hands are wrung 
or beat the head and breast or tear the hair. The 




Sadness. 



APPETITIVE GROUP. 233 

vocal tones are plaintive ; utterance loud, high and 
slow ; quality is pure unless when rendered husky by 
sobs and suppressed moans. 

Weeping. — Man has been described as a laughing- 
animal and this is one of his characteristics, but he is 
also a weeping animal. Weeping is a means of re- 
lief to the soul over-fraught with sorrow. To have " a 
good cry" in times of great trial and suffering is better 
than medicine. In weeping, the lachrymal glands are 
affected, the eyes are firmly closed and the forehead 
contracted into a frown. The mouth is wide open 
and the lips contract so as to cause it to assume a 
square shape. The organs of breathing are spasmod- 
ically and irregularly affected. The respiration is in- 
terrupted by sobs and groans. The breath is hur- 
riedly drawn in and slowly given out. In the more 
violent stages of weeping the face is flushed and the 
veins stand out purple with stagnant blood. 

Pain. — Every sensitive being is subject more or less 
to pain. It is one of the most effectual means em- 
ployed in the education of animals. All animals have 
acute remembrance of actions which cause suffering. 
If a dog is painfully beaten for some misdemeanor he 
will not be likely to perform the same action which 
was the cause of the beating. Man also has keen sen- 
sibility to pain, and his sufferings are as much his 
schoolmasters as his joys. Pain occurs when there is 
violent distress of mind or when the body is in a suf- 
fering condition. Its expression varies according to 
the sensibility of the person who suffers, and the in- 
tensity or sharpness of the pain. In bodily suffering 
the mouth is firmly closed, the jaws are fixed, the lips 
are retracted, and the teeth are ground together. The 
nostrils dilate, the eyes uncover, and the eyebrows 
contract. Eespiration and circulation are powerfully 



234 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATOBY. 

affected. Perspiration trickles from the face and 
bathes the body. The breath is sometimes held in 
agony, and then the blood purples the face. All the 
veins of the face are swollen with blood. The atti- 
tudes of the body change ; sometimes the sufferer 
seeks relief in one position, then in another. The 
whole muscular sj'stem is subjected to dreadful strains 
and unnatural contortions. At times the mouth opens 
and cries of agony issue forth. If the agony long 
continues to be severe, then utter prostration follows, 
accompanied by fainting and convulsive fits. 

Tranquility. — The countenance is calm and open, 
forehead unwrinkled, eyebrows slightly arched, and 
the eyes mild in expression. The mouth is slightly 
closed and there is a general repose of the body and 
limbs. Yoice assumes a middle key, moderate range 
of inflection and time. 

Stillness of Night. 

All heaven and earth are still, — though not in sleep 
But breathless, as we grow when feeling most ; 

And silent, as we stand in thoughts too deep : — 
All heaven and earth are still : From the high host 
Of stars to the lulled lake, and mountain coast, 

All is concentrated in a life intense, 

Where not a beam, nor air, nor leaf is lost, 

But hath a part of being, and a sense 

Of that which is of all, Creator and Defence. 



Appeal or Persuasion is made with an open coun- 
tenance, the forehead smooth and unruffled, the eyes 
opened wide, with an eager discerning look, and the 
lips slightly curved as in a smile. The voice is sym- 
pathetic and entreating, clear, full and round, with 
prevalent rising inflections. 



APPETITIYE GEOUP. 235 

Sentimentality is a weak form of expression for 
the emotions and sentiments. It is used in a de- 
graded sense to imply affectation rather than genuine 
feeling. It springs from the endeavor on the part of 
the speaker to express feeling which is only skin deep. 
It vents itself in mere effusions of tenderness, ex- 
pletives and exclamations of unfelt emotions. It is a 
superficial show of genuine passion. Feelings which 
are deep and powerfully active are passionate not 
sentimental ; they express themselves in real pictures 
rather than empty expletives, in active deeds of kind- 
ness rather than gushes of compassion. 

Eagerness is an emotion which arises when the 
mind is intently engaged in the pursuit of some 
object of interest. According to the strength of the 
desire to accomplish the object will be the intensity 
of the expression. 

Language. — The body inclines forward toward the 
object of our desires. If the object is in sight the 
eyes sparkle, the head leans forward, and the hand 
shades the brow. If the object is within hearing 
distance but not in sight, then the hand is placed 
behind the ear to intensify the distant sounds. If 
the object is within reach, the hands show signs of 
taking and receiving. When the desire to possess 
an object is very great the face may flush, the eye- 
brows are elevated and the mouth opens gently. 

Indifference is a feeling which arises from various 
causes. The mind may be callous from adversity, 
natural indifference, carelessness or selfishness. An 
indifferent person is not susceptible to emotions and 
surveys events with a careless glance. The happi- 
ness or misfortunes of others touch him not, and he 
can only be moved to action by appeals to his ego- 
tistic and selfish nature. Actions of bodv are careless 



236 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

and without purpose ; countenance apathetic and 
expressionless ; observations devoid of tenderness 
and sympathy; the voice hard and unsympathetic, in- 
flection and emphasis those of disparagement rather 
than praise. 

We have analyzed the principal instincts, emotions 
and passions in the human constitution, and it only 
remains to show how such an analysis may be profit- 
ably used. All speech, written or spoken, is made up 
of thought and passion. The material which forms 
poetry and oratory is gathered from the cogitations 
of the intellect and the suggestions of the emotions and 
passions. And since all composition is made up of 
these emotions and passions, the key to natural deliv- 
ery may be found when these mental states are clearly 
distinguished, and their language ascertained. If the 
elocutionary reader intends to recite a selection from 
Shakespeare, or any author, he will be greatly aided 
in acquiring a natural delivery by carefully distin- 
guishing between the mental states which such selec- 
tions contain, and, studying their language, and by en- 
deavoring to awaken such mental conditions in his 
own mind. Such a process will be attended by the 
most gratifying results ; his mind will be trained to dis- 
criminate between multitudinous shadings of thought 
and emotion, and to render such shadings correctly 
by voice and gesture. In this way all monotones in 
delivery will be avoided and a correct, chaste and nat- 
ural style cultivated. The monotony so prevalent in 
the delivery of many speakers is due mainly to their 
want of discrimination between the mental states. 
They have never had their attention called to the 
various shadings of thought and emotion and their 
appropriate delivery, hence every passion and thought 
is delivered by them in the same way. Such a de- 






APPETITIYE GROUP. 237 

livery makes of none effect the most beautiful and 
impressive passages of oratory. Let the reader or 
speaker therefore endeavor on all occasions to train 
his mind to make discriminations between the various 
mental states and their expression. He should study 
Milton, Shakespeare, and the speeches of great orators 
in this way, and he will soon discover not only that 
his own style of delivery is made more natural but that 
he has acquired a knowledge of human nature and a 
power of keen analysis which is truly wonderful. 



CHAPTEE X. 



CULTIVATION OF MENTAL STATES. 



PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ; CAUSES OF EMOTIONS AND 
PASSIONS. 

No emotion or passion ever arises in the mind 
without a cause. It is impossible to pity any one 
who is not in distress, or to bear resentment against 
persons who have not injured us or our friends, or 
who do not stand in the way of our advancement. 
"We love what is agreeable and hate what is disagree- 
able, but there must be some object or idea which 
raises those feelings. Such is our nature that the 
sight of certain objects affects us with a feeling of 
pleasure or pain. We behold a beautiful river, lake, 
or waving field of grain with a feeling of pleasure ; 
but a stagnant pool, dirty marsh or barren field raises 
painful emotions. And it can be clearly proved that 
every external object has an effect upon our sensi- 
bility which has a relation to its own nature ; that 
is, emotions resemble their causes. 
(238) 



PBELIMINAEY CONSIDERATIONS. 239 

RESEMBLANCE OE EMOTIONS TO THEIR CAUSE. 

A sluggish motion, for example, causes a languid 
feeling ; brisk motion a lively feeling that rouses the 
spirits and promotes activity. The purling of the 
water of a brook over its pebbles, the falling of water 
among rocks cause emotions resembling the sound 
produced. Sublime objects elevate the mind, and 
beautiful objects raise a thrill of perfection. The 
position of objects also affects the mind. A man 
standing on the edge of a precipitous cliff or on the 
pinnacle of a lofty tower causes a shudder of fear. 
Sounds also produce emotions which resemble them. 
A sound in a high key elevates, and the same sound 
in a low key depresses the mind. Plaintive sounds 
produce emotions of sadness. The rising inflection 
creates a feeling of suspension, the falling a feeling 
of completion. The gestures of the body also raise 
in us emotions which resemble them. Clumsy ges- 
tures are disagreeable to us, graceful movements 
raise feelings of like nature. The same applies to 
the actions of men and women. The emotions pro- 
duced resemble their causes. Love, inspired by a 
beautiful woman, assumes her qualities — soft, stern, 
tender or gay, according to its cause. A lover finds 
himself imperceptibly assuming the traits of his 
loved one. The tones of his voice are caressing, 
soothing, soft and winning, and he acts and speaks 
in a manner resembling those characteristics which 
had first awakened his love. A gladiatorial combat 
or a street brawl raises emotions of pugnacity in the 
spectator. The sight of a man doing a charitable 
action raises a feeling of benevolence, and the return- 
ing of a favor arouses an emotion of gratitude which 
resembles the cause. Everybody knows how an 



240 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

alarm of fire started in a theatre will raise an emotion 
of fear which will communicate itself to all present, 
and a general panic will ensue. Horses that are 
standing" quietly will join in flight with other horses 
as they gallop past. Regiments of soldiers have 
often been seized with fear on beholding another fly- 
ing regiment, and when no danger was visible, have 
left their post and joined in the flight. Thus events 
or objects raise emotions similar to their own nature. 
If such is the case with external objects, how do 
the internal states, ideas, thoughts and feelings affect 
our sensibilities ? It can be shown that these also act 
at the same ; vexing thoughts give rise to painful emo- 
tions, and pleasant thoughts to agreeable emotions. 
For instance, sympathy, love, courage are agreeable ; 
but dullness, stubbornness, cowardice, give rise to dis- 
agreeable emotions. Deeds of heroism, philanthropy, 
humanity and power raise the same feeling in our 
minds. Deeds of meanness, baseness and inhumanity 
awaken in us feelings of contempt. By the power of 
sympathy we can also raise emotions in our heart 
when we behold men under the influence of passion- 
We cannot behold a man in distress without sharing 
his pain, or in joy without a feeling of pleasure. 
What is true of one faculty is true of all. There are 
objects which appeal to the precautionary, aggres- 
sive, resistive and love emotions, which may be called 
their food ; and in order to stimulate these emotions 
it is only necessary to present before them the appro- 
priate objects, actions and events. But as regards 
oratory, it is not always possible that these objects 
can be present. The orator has to arouse men to ac- 
tion with ideal representation. The events he speaks 
of may not be present, but past or yet to come. 
How can he appeal to the passion of men in order to 



PBELBriXAKY COXSEDEEATTONS. '2±l 

win them, over to Lis cause if the natural food of 
these emotions is absent? The ideal presentation is 
sufficient. The ideal description of a beautiful scene 
or heroic action awakens emotion, not so power- 
ful as the real scene or event, but by the coloring 
of the imagination it may even produce more power- 
fid emotions than the reality. Poets and novelists 
by means of splendid diction and highly exaggerated 
description have invested scenes with an emotional 
charm which they did not ready possess. And often 
have travellers when visiting these scenes exclaimed : 
M How barren, how devoid of beauty compared with the 
description I have read," Many are disappointed 
when they gaze upon Scottish scenery because they 
cannot hud the marvellous beauty which Walter Scott 
has thrown around it in his ideal descriptions. The 
orator need not despair if there are no real objects 
present to excite the emotions he wishes to raise ; for 
he can awaken them by appeals to the memory of his 
hearers or by ideal description of them. 

This is the most important part of elocutionary 
training. The cultivation of the vocal powers and 
the mental states should be the aim of every one who 
aspires to be a good speaker or reader. Such culti- 
vation cannot be over-estimated. If the mental states 
are active, vigorous and highly sensitive to their own 
appropriate objects of excitation, and if the vocal 
and bodily instruments of expression are responsive 
to all the various degrees of activity of the mental 
states then natural delivery will be the result. It is 
because one or both of these instruments of expres- 
sion are neglected that unnaturalness mars the deliv- 
ery of many. The elocutionist who insists mainly on 
the employment of certain tones and inflections of 
voice and gestures of body cannot hope to develop 



242 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

natural delivery. Nor on the other hand can those 
who neglect all external training of voice or mental 
state hope to arrive at this most desirable character- 
istic of true eloquence. Long before the student is 
taught inflection, stress and other qualities of delivery, 
his voice should be thoroughly trained in order that it 
may have power, flexibility and compass to adjust itself 
spontaneously to express the various mental states. 
If this training of the voice has preceded the instruc- 
tion in expression, the teacher's task will be an easy 
one. It will only be necessary for him to point out 
the natural tone and inflection for each passion, and 
the pupil will readily form a type or pattern for that 
expression and reproduce it in his own way. But if 
the voice has not been trained, artificiality will be 
the result, for the pupil will strive to give forms of 
vocal expression, which he can only imitate imperfect- 
ly and assume with great difficulty ; hence, stiffness, 
artificiality, and inelegance of delivery are the result. 
So also with the mental states, they must be syste- 
matically trained or they will not be responsive to in- 
ternal or external stimulation; when an image 
and idea in mental or book composition is presented 
they are inactive and non-responsive and do not 
appear in delivery as they ought. Hence the expres- 
sion is weak, artificial and destitute of passionate 
feeling. It is in vain that tones and gestures are as- 
sumed. Mental passion is the soul of every word. 
There is a deep undercurrent of feeling not easily de- 
scribed, yet always present, in every look, gesture of 
body, and vocal enunciation which alone can give 
power to delivery. It is the undercurrent of feeling 
which develops that sympathetic relation between the 
speaker and his audience called magnetism, which 
impels them to bend the organs of sight and hearing 



PEELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. 243 

to catch his every gesture, word or intonation. When 
the mental states are alive with passion, delivery is 
easy, natural and powerfully impressive. With 
breathless interest the audience follow his discourse ; 
every new illustration or thought thrills them through 
and through. Their only anxiety is, not that he will 
speak too long on such a topic, but that he will cease 
to dwell upon it. Genuine feeling always captivates 
an audience. The human breast is ever responsive 
to human passion. Only let a man be in downright 
earnest and he need not fail to hold his audience. 

The excited mental states not only supply expres- 
sion with the all-conquering power of feeling but 
they furnish strength to the orator himself. When 
these mental states are active, great nerve and brain 
force is developed, together, with excessive vitality, 
as a natural consequence all the organs of expression, 
the breathing, bodily and vocal organs are intensely 
vigorous. The orator, while subject to these mental 
passions, can speak with the utmost ease. There is no 
straining effect in the mental conception or the ex- 
ternal expression. The eye flashes, the brow wrin- 
kles or knits, the muscles of the face contract or ex- 
pand when necessary, the breath comes and goes, the 
attitude of the body changes, the vocal tones follow 
each other in rapid succession without any percept- 
ible effort on his part. Orators who speak from the 
excited mental states seldom or never become ex- 
hausted, because speaking is a means of enjoyment, 
a sort of recreation to them. A distinguished orator 
has said that, although he has been accustomed to 
lecture and preach for more than forty years he has 
never felt tired of his profession or desired to quit 
it for another. Preaching is not exhausting to him 
because it is a sort of pleasure or recreation. "There 




244 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

is a joy," he says, " which accompanies all powerful 
efforts of the mind to persuade others to do what is 
right." It would seem from this confession, and from 
the fact that increased vitality accompanies mental 
excitement, that the best and surest way is to stir 
up the mental states. All elocutionary training will 
fail if this has not been accomplished. Such instruc- 
tion should aim to develop the mental states. 

The questions may be asked, "Is it possible to culti- 
vate the mental states ?" "Are they not qualities of the 
immaterial mind and so beyond the reach of train- 
ing ?" The answer to the first question is, that the 
mental states can be cultivated. The second question 
springs from ignorance of the dependence of the 
mind upon material organs. It is a question which 
could have been asked two or three hundred years 
ago when men believed in warlocks and witches, 
when the mind was regarded as independent of the 
body, residing, nobody knew where ; such a question 
should be asked no longer. Doctors Gall, Spurzheim, 
and Combe demonstrated long ago the mind's connec- 
tion with material organs. The investigation of the mod- 
ern psychological school of whom Professor Bain 
is a representative established the same connection 
Now it follows, that if the mind depends upon mate- 
rial organs for its manifestation, that whatever 
strengthens these organs cultivates the mental states. 
The same law which regulates the training of the 
body will also regulate the training of the mind, with 
this important modification, that the medium of cul- 
tivation is different in each case. That which trains 
the body may not cultivate the mind. 

Muscular. — We know that exercise develops the 
muscles of the body and that we can direct their 
development to any part of the body we please, to the 



PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. 245 

limbs, breast, neck or arms. It is the same with the 
mind ; we can direct the training to special functions, 
the only real difference is the means of education. 
In bodily training, we develop muscle by bodily 
movements in which the chief agent is the influence 
of the will which controls the direction of the training. 
We cultivate the mind by mental instrumentalities, 
that is, as the mind depends upon the brain and ner- 
vous system, whatever cultivates the brain and nerves 
increases mentality. If the question is asked, " How 
is the increase of mentality recorded?" we reply, "In 
a manner similar to the increase of muscular develop- 
ment." If a muscle becomes larger and more flexible 
by training, so the brain increases its convolutions in 
size, quality and flexibility by mental training. This 
increase of size, quality and flexibility enables the 
mental states to express themselves more vigorously 
and accurately ; hence in order to have vigorous think- 
ing, we must develop vigorous brain organs. This 
development is accomplished by mental training. 
We know that the brain and nerves are capable of 
excitation by their proper stimulants. These stimu- 
lants are thoughts, emotions, ideas and objects. The 
stimulation may be internal or external. The internal 
arises from natural or spontaneous activity of brain 
and nerve force or from the influence of the will, 
imagination and intellect. The external arises from 
the stimulation caused by outside objects through the 
bodily senses. It follows then, that whatever increases 
the natural or spontaneous energy of the mental or- 
gans, or the sensibility of the body to external im- 
pressions, increases the intensity of the mental states. 
There are two grand divisions of nerves which perform 
an important function in expression, the incarrying 
and outcarrying nerves. The incarrying or sensatory 



246 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

nerves conduct to the sensory centre the external im- 
pressions capable of producing mental sensations, 
which in turn produce mental states. The outcarry- 
ing or motory nerves, springing from the centres of 
activity, convey the mental states into outward expres- 
sion. 

THE CULTIVATION OF THE MENTAL STATES BY 
MEANS OF NATURAL OR SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY. 

Natural or spontaneous activity is a term applied 
to the motive or inborn force which impels every 
organ of our constitution without stimulation to per- 
form its functions. The faculties of the mind and 
the organs of the body are always more or less active. 
They can hardly be said at any moment to be in a 
dormant state. Even in sleep the bodily functions 
go on, the blood circulates freely of its own accord. 
Inspiration and expiration are even more active 
when the body is stretched out in repose. It can be 
readily proven that during sleep many, if not all, of 
the faculties of the mind are active. If it were 
not so, dreams would be impossible. While awake 
the natural activity of the faculties of the mind im- 
part, a grateful stimulus to the whole bodily move- 
ment. Destructiveness and combativeness are 
shown in the energetic stride. Force looks from the 
eyes and beautifies the expression. All the social 
propensities are active in countenance, voiec and man- 
ner. The selfish propensities leave their impression 
upon the walk or conduct. This natural or spontane- 
ous activity of the propensities is a simple state, there 
is nothing passional about it. While in this condi- 
tion they are prepared, however, to become emotion- 
al or passional. A slight increase of the spontaneous 
activity directed toward any individual centre will 



NATURAL CULTIVATION. 247 

produce an exciteniental or emotional state in that 
centre. Where the natural activity is present in abun- 
dance it is always easy to excite any feeling or pas- 
sion of the mind. This is shown by the ease with 
which we accomplish duties when the mind is fresh 
and vigorous. Difficult tasks, feats of skill, or labo- 
rious efforts of strength are always more readily 
accomplished when the whole constitution is fresh 
and vigorous. Young animals are more distinguished 
for activity than the old. Young children are per- 
petually pouring forth floods of spontaneous activity 
in playful sport. The kitten exercises its natural vigor 
in running after or playing with a ball or spool. The 
infant in the mother's arms vents its spontaneous ac- 
tivity in restless movements or in crows of delight and 
even in screams and tears. The hound pants for the 
chase ; the steed impatiently paws the ground ; the 
rider energetically sinks the spur into his horse's side 
through eagerness to find an outlet for the nerve force 
struggling to express itself in actions. 

The influence of spontaneous activity upon the or- 
gans of expression is very great. The breathing or- 
gans are in a state of vigorous activity. The vocal 
powers must find an outlet for the accumulated nerve 
force even in exclamations, if not in song or speech. 
How often does the soul, happy with excess of vital 
activity, unburden itself in song or speech. Witness 
how animated is the conversation of those whose con- 
stitution is vigorously active. How the eye glistens, 
how mobile are the expressions, how versatile the ges- 
tures, and how changeable the tones. Now all this 
spontaneous energy can be skillfully employed in the 
education of the feelings and passions. Let the cur- 
rent of its activity be turned in the direction of the 
mental state desired to be produced. It is an ascer- 



248 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tained law that spontaneous activity tends to diffuse 
itself through the most habitual channels. Hence, in 
order to make use of spontaneous force to increase 
the intensity of a feeling or passion, arouse that pas- 
sion by external or internal means and the spontane- 
ous nerve force will immediately empty itself into the 
channels for the expression of that passion. To de- 
velop natural activity cultivate the active tempera- 
ment. The active or energetic temperament of body 
is eminently conducive to spontaneous energy, a 
vigorous circulation of the blood, strong recuperative 
and nutritive digestive powers. In this temperament 
there is a tendency to express feeling in outward 
demonstrations through the mere love of activity. 
When the brain and body are full of blood the mental 
states will be more active. 

It can be shown that all passionate mental states 
draw extensively upon the vitality. Whenever there 
is a rush of blood to the brain the mental states are 
more active. Whenever an exhilarating passion is 
aroused the vital action is increased. This is because 
these passions require the vital fluid to nourish 
and keep them in this violent state of activity. What- 
ever increases the freedom and vigor of the circula- 
tion and digestion increases spontaneous activity. 

Spontaneous activity has an important influence on 
the mental states as a whole, tending to keep them in 
a state of perpetual motion. We have shown how to 
make use of spontaneous energy to excite special 
mental states. The question now arises, Can each 
mental state be separately cultivated ? The answer 
is in the affirmative. We have already shown that 
the mental functions are not one but many. That 
the brain is the organ of the mind, and consists of 
congeries of organs or cerebral centres, and that 



NATURAL CULTIVATION. 249 

each one of these centres is the seat of an individual 
and separate propensity or intellectual faculty. 
These propensities when excited in various degrees 
of activity give rise to emotions and passions. Three 
states of activity were noted : 1. Simple or normal ; 
2. excitemental or emotional ; 3. passional or violent. 
This activity depends upon three conditions, 1. The 
size and quality of the cerebral organ, 2. The intensity 
of the excitement induced, 3. the capability of the 
bodily organs to express this activity. Beside the 
emotions and passions which are the immediate pro- 
duct of the primitive faculties, we considered a very 
numerous and powerful class of emotions called 
complex or compound emotions because no one ele- 
mentary feeling was capable of producing them. We 
proved that they arose from the excitement of two or 
more propensities and the presence of an exciting 
cause, real or imaginary. All these propensities, 
emotions, passions and compound emotions we an- 
alyzed and proved that they were capable of cultiva- 
tion. We endeavored to show the utility of that an- 
alysis in cultivating each emotion or passion. We 
also pointed out the method of cultivation and the 
laws upon which it was founded. We will now take 
up some of the methods for the cultivation of the 
mental states in detail. All mental states are pro- 
duced by excitement of blood, nerve and cerebral 
mass. Whatever awakens these, stimulates the men- 
tal states. 

PEESENTATION OF THE APPROPRIATE OBJECTS. 

Each emotion, passion and propensity cannot be 
brought into activity by the direct operation of the 
will. But they can be brought into action by the 
presentation of objects or ideas fitted by nature 



250 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



to excite them. Every emotion and passion has 
by nature an affinity for certain allied objects or 
ideas which are capable of kindling them into actions 
more or less violent. Cautiousness in its simple pro- 
pensitive state is stimulated by scenes of danger or 
occasions in which prudence is necessary. The care- 
ful, watchful step made by a person who is. plodding 
his way through a dark passage is different from 
the trembling, halting or flying step of the same per- 
son under the influence of the passion of fear, and 
yet fear is an emotion which has cautiousness as one 
of its elements. To excite a feeling of caution in 
its simple elementary state it is only necessary to 
bring before the mind objects or ideas which excite 
watchful or careful actions. To excite the passion of 
fear on the other hand, it is necessary that the objects 
or ideas presented to the mind should be full of dan- 
ger. Gloomy caverns, hair-breadth escapes, earth- 
quakes, thunderstorms, in short, everything which 
is likely to cause excessive alarm for the safety of our 
own lives or those of our friends. Combativeness 
may be excited by the presentation of warlike scenes 
in thoughts, words or actions. Heroism, courage, 
bravery and all the emotions and passions which have 
the combative element, can be excited by the presen- 
tation of ideas and objects of an epic nature. If the 
orator desires to cultivate the strong and elevating 
passions such as heroism, love, joy, anger, courage 
and ambition, he must fill his mind with ideas and 
scenes which appeal to each of these passions. The 
mental states can be wonderfully increased in activ- 
ity by thus presenting to them their own appropriate 
imagery. The fact that each mental state differs from 
the others makes this method of cultivation definite 
and sure. There can be no failure if the intellect is 



NATURAL CULTIVATION. 251 

cultivated by the presentation of objects which are 
intellectual in their nature. This principle is granted 
by all ; schools and colleges might close their doors if 
it were not a fact ; so also the passions and emotions 
are capable of like cultivation by the presentation of 
emotional food. The objects which may be present- 
ed are various. Scenes of active life may form a pow- 
erful stimulus. In daily life, men can be seen at al- 
most any time under the influence of some passion. 

To witness others under the influence of passion 
cultivates such passion in ourselves. The low pas- 
sions of hate, jealousy, and remorse can be seen man- 
ifested by men in the humbler ranks of life. The 
passions of love, anger, despair, fear, timidity, heroism 
and combativeness are present before our eyes every 
day. We have but to permit them to influence 
our minds and such states will be produced in us. 
The objects may be words full of passionate meaning, 
passages from great poets which are alive with emo- 
tion or they may be ideal scenes representing the 
emotions and passions. Love, the sentiment of the 
beautiful, hate, fear, anger or any of the emotions may 
be effectually awakened in this way. 

Books. — No one can insist too strongly on the pow- 
er which a good book has in developing the men- 
tal states. Descriptions of scenes capable of excit- 
ing the emotions and passions will be found in 
abundance in prose and poetry. The beautiful and 
striking language in which these scenes are de- 
scribed develops the sensibilities of our nature and 
prompts them to active expression. Poetry is full 
of emotion and passion. If the speaker cannot 
awaken passion in his mind by the perusal of the ex- 
aggerated language of poetic emotion he may well 
despair of his success as an orator. Poetry should 



252 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

cause a sensitive, oratorical nature to thrill with rap- 
turous emotional feeling. All the great orators 
have been exceedingly fond of poetry and prose. De- 
mosthenes glowed with divine fire when he read 
Homer ; Cicero, was never weary of feeding his ora- 
torical passion with the best extracts from Demos- 
thenes and Homer ; Chatham, the greatest orator 
since Demosthenes, inflamed his passions at the shrine 
of the ancient muses, and baptized them into new life 
in the living waters of the poets of his own native 
land. Erskine, the most eloquent orator that ever 
plead before a jury in a case of life or death, could be 
seen in his boyhood almost every day wildly peram- 
bulating the heathery hills of Scotland, declaiming 
with passionate force the sublime passages of Milton 
and Shakespeare. The study and recitation of the 
emotional passages in the great poets has been the 
principal metfiod by which almost all the great ora- 
tors kindled and kept burning their oratorical fire 
One of the most efficient methods of cultivating the 
emotions is to have perpetually on hand selections of 
poetry and prose which narrate the various passions. 
Extracts of this description will be found in the chap- 
ter entitled Passion Transition. Another means of 
cultivating the mental states is to be found in listen- 
ing to great actors and orators. A good play, faith- 
fully performed by skilful actors, is capable of deeply 
exciting the passions. Great actors are generally 
themselves affected by the passions which they express; 
hence by a natural law of sympathy, the same emotions 
will be awakened in our hearts which burns in theirs. 
The plays of Shakespeare are the best for the purpose 
of education. Every passion of the human mind finds 
expression in the marvellous productions of Shakes- 
peare. In his vivid language there gleams the over- 




George F. Cooke, one of the great- 
est tragedians of the eighteenth cen- 
tury, was born in Westminster, Apr. 
17, 1756 ; died in New York City in 
1812. 

Edmund Kean, unsurpassed in trag- 
edy, was born in London, March 17, 
1790, died there, May 15, 1833. 

Edwin Forrest, one of the most 
celebrated of American actors, Avas 
born at Philadelphia, March 9, 1803. 
Died December 12, 1872. 

John P. Kemble, famed for his ren- 
bering of Hamlet, was born in Lan- 
cashire, February, 1757 ; died in 
Switzerland, February 26, 1823. 

Junius Brutus Booth, great in his 
impersonation of Richard III. ; born 
in London, May 1, 1796 ; died in De- 
cember, 1852. 

William C. Macready, one of the 
first of dramatic actors, was born in 
London, March 3, 1793. 

David Garrick, the wonderful 
" Lear," was born at Hereford, Eng- 



land, February 20, 1716 : died Jan- 
uary 20, 1779. 

Thomas Hamblin was born at Pen- 
tonville near Islington, London, May 
14, 1800 ; came to New York 1825, died 
Jan. 8, 1853. He was connected with 
the Bowery Theatre for many years. 

E. L. Davenport was born in Phila- 
delphia about 1815. 

Julia Deane Hayne, a popular 
American comedienne, was born in 
Pleasant Valley, New York, July 

22, 1830. 

Sarah Siddons, regarded as the 
most powerful actress of passion ; 
born in South Wales, July 5, 1775 ; 
died June 8, 1831. 

Charlotte S. Cushman, one of the 
most celebrated of tragic actresses, 
was born in Boston, Mass., July 

23, 1816. Died in England, May 10, 
1876. 

Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie au- 
thoress and actress, born in Bor- 
deaux, France, of American parents, 
in 1821. Died in England, July 28, 1870. 



From New Physiognomy, or Signs of Character, as manifested through 
Temperament and External Form and especially in the "Human Face 
Divine." By Samuel R. Wells, Fowler & Wells Co., Publishers. 



NATURAL CULTIVATION. 253 

mastering emotions of beauty, love and solemnity, 
which are the corner-stone of oratorical expression. 
When these plays are correctly performed on the stage, 
with the aid of scenery, costume, voice and gesture, 
the effect upon the emotions of the spectators is 
powerfully intense. The scenery which represents 
grandeur, beauty and sublimity must appeal effectu- 
ally to the emotions of awe, ideality and solemnity. 
The stage in its scenic representations often tran- 
scends the world of reality and displays before the 
enraptured eyes of mortals the wonderful creations 
of the imagination, the marvels of fairyland, and the 
inhabitants of the supernatural universe in marvellous 
beauty, sublimity and terror. The actor stimulates 
passions in the breast of the listener which might 
otherwise remain dormant. The elocution of great 
actors is often near perfection. Indeed it could 
hardly be otherwise. Their success depends upon 
their eloquent delivery, hence they make elocution a 
life-long study. It does not fall to our lot to discuss 
the morality of the stage nor the propriety of Chris- 
tians attending theatricals ; we are simply consider- 
ing the theatre as a means for the cultivation of the 
emotions and passions, and the conclusion appears to 
be that play-representation is a very efficient instru- 
ment for that purpose. 

Listening to great orators is another effectual 
means of cultivating the mental states. If the orator 
has the power to stir his own feelings he will be likely 
to awaken feelings in the breasts of others. Some of 
the greatest orators have had the fire of their genius 
kindled in this way. Grattan, seized every occasion to 
listen to the impassioned eloquence of Lord Chatham, 
who stimulated oratorical passion in all who heard him 
with an overmastering power. The impassioned el- 



254 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

oquence of Rufus Choate was first awakened by 
listening to the fervid oratory of "William Pinkney, 
The eloquence of iEskines and Demosthenes natur- 
ally excited each other's passions. Cicero had al- 
ways a spur in his rival, Hortensius. Lord Chatham, 
while he ruled the empire of Great Britain, with his 
imperial oratory drew passion out of many a cold, 
unimpassioned youth who was aspiring to the honors 
which an eloquent tongue alone merits. Not only 
does passion in the breast of an orator have the effect 
of powerfully exciting emotions in others, but the 
audience increases the vigor of this excitement. We 
all know how a very insignificant, witty remark will 
fall short of even a laugh when uttered in the presence 
of a few friends, but the same witticism uttered in a 
large hall filled with people will produce storms of 
applause. The same observation may also be made 
respecting a burst of passion, pity, fear, remorse or 
heroism. The impression made is always tenfold 
more powerful in a large than in a small audience. 
The reason, is that the men and women composing 
that audience have each drank in the emotion in their 
own way, and their mental states have been awakened 
to a corresponding pitch of activity ; and this 
awakened emotion transmits itself from one to an- 
other ; from the speaker to an audience and from the 
audience back again to the orator. There is, there- 
fore, a current of emotion passing from every in- 
dividual in the hall, so that the effect is greater ac- 
cording to the number of sympathetic souls present. 
To place one's self, therefore, in an audience thus 
swayed by an oratorical passion is one of the very 
best means of stimulating the emotional states or 
feelings in ourselves. 
To listen to good elocutionary readers or reciters 



NATUBAL CULTIVATION. 255 

is also another useful means of cultivating the men- 
tal states. The elocutionary reader if he has studied 
the meaning of the selection and if he has the inter- 
nal gift of feeling what he reads, will deliver himself 
with power and passion, and will awaken similar emo- 
tions in the minds of the listeners. 

The mental states may be cultivated by internal 
stimulation. We have already shown the power of 
spontaneous activity to excite the internal feelings. 
We will now take up in detail the most effectual means 
of arousing the mental states by internal stimulation. 

Tolition. — The will can call into operation the intel- 
lectual mental states, but it cannot originate the men- 
tal passions. These arise spontaneously when the 
objects are presented. The will, however, can influ- 
ence the expression of the emotions when aroused. 
It may restrain or give full exercise to all the bodily 
and vocal gestures which are their appropriate lan- 
guage, and though the will cannot bid the feelings 
arise at pleasure, yet it can influence the thoughts 
which are capable of stimulating the feelings. There 
are certain thoughts, ideas and images formed in the 
mind which readily excite each propensity, emotion 
or passion. The mental states recognize these objects 
and respond to them as truly as the eye draws within 
its vision the objects of sight. Now the will can de- 
cide what objects, images or thoughts shall occupy 
the mind, whether they shall be images of love or ha- 
tred. If then, the intellect supplies internal images 
or thoughts which appeal to the various emotions? 
these emotions will be excited. The command of 
the thoughts is influential in the cultivation of the 
feelings Our passions, emotions and propensities 
have been excited more or less by objects, circum- 
stances and occasions, and whenever these are present 



256 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

in idea or reality, the emotions will be likely to arise. 
Love is awakened by the thoughts of physical beauty } 
the charms and graces of its natural language, or by 
the thought of places dear to the loved one. Combat- 
iveness is aroused by thoughts of opposition, by con- 
templation of battles and famous heroes. Whatever 
the emotion desired to be cultivated, we must think 
of the class of objects or ideas which appeal to that 
emotion. If it is desired to call up some emotion in 
preference to those already present, it is necessary to 
think of the objects which are associated with that 
emotion. 

THE IDEAL CULTIVATION OF THE MENTAL STATES. 

Akin to the exercise of the emotions by the choice 
of thoughts is their cultivation by means of ideal 
states. An emotion may be awakened by the actual 
presence of an object or by an image of that object. 
It is often desirable that the orator should arouse 
the various mental states by images when the objects 
are not present. It is a fact that the feeling or emo- 
tion persists after the original stimulus is withdrawn. 
This mental state is called ideal emotion. The ideal 
emotions are important in the cultivation of the men- 
tal states ; for they can awaken and strengthen these 
states. The vigor and persistency of the ideal emo- 
tions depend upon the temperament ; some tempera- 
ments are more emotional than others, hence the 
ideal emotion can be more easily aroused in such 
temperaments. The presence of a kindred emotion 
aids the ideal. The present sensations of pleasure 
enable us to support dreams of ideal pleasure. The 
situations in the lives of men if they resemble the 
mental state which we wish to indulge will support 
the ideal emotion. The ideal emotion may surpass 






NATUKAL CULTIVATION. 257 

in intensity and vigor of activity even the actual ; 
this is because hope or anticipation plays an impor- 
tant part in the ideal emotions. The ideal emotions, 
because of the pleasure they afford to the mind, are 
vigorously active whenever they exist. This excite- 
ment flows to the kindred mental states. This ideal 
training, however, is rendered more effective by the 
influence of the imagination. 

THE IMAGINATION AS A MEANS OF EDUCATING THE EMO- 
TIONS AND PASSIONS. 

Imagination can be effectively employed in culti- 
vating the mental states. In its lower manifestations 
imagination resembles conception. Emotions and 
passions, no longer present, can be conceived to exist 
in an ideal form. The ideal will awaken the real and 
so increase of activity of the emotion will follow. In 
this sense, however, no higher function of imagina- 
tion is exercised than simply to revive or recall some 
emotion formerly experienced. The intellect is stimu- 
lated to call up scenes, objects and events capable of 
awakening the emotion. Thus, if we wish to develop 
the emotion of the sublime we imagine an event or 
scene which has characteristics of that feeling. If 
we desire to cultivate love, we bring together all the 
objects or attributes which inflame that passion and 
imagine them to belong to a loved person or object. 
Imagination, however, in the higher sense still more 
effectually cultivates the mental states. In this sense 
it has the element of originality. Self-creation of 
emotions and passions, similar to those we desire to 
cultivate and the clothing of them in highly-exaggerat- 
ed imagery tends powerfully to awaken the emotions. 
The imagination creates scenes and events more ex- 
hilarating than the actual. It can conceive of passion 



258 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

and emotion without the limitations to which the same 
emotion is subjected in the real state. Hence all the 
circumstances which stimulate the passions or emo- 
tions are highly exaggerated, and vigorous excite- 
ment of the natural emotions follows. In its creative 
capacity, imagination combines all the most vivid and 
essential elements in scenes and events and adds to 
them an almost supernatural coloring of its own, so 
that the creations thus produced are the most power- 
ful to kindle the actual mental state. Every one must 
have experienced this truth in the work of composi- 
tion or in art representation. How often does the 
plain image or picture formed by the imagination 
appear more grand than that represented. Such ex- 
clamations as we often hear after seeing a work of 
art, "Oh, how poor it is compared with my original 
conception," testify to the power of the mind to ideal- 
ize an image of an object surpassing in beauty or 
grandeur the actual. Suppose a person is called upon 
to realize an emotion or passion which is not present 
to the mind ; he must exercise his imagination to 
originate scenes of such power and vividness that 
they wdll start the mental state corresponding to the 
emotion or passion, or if the emotion is really present 
its activity may be more vigorously developed by the 
intensely exaggerated image of it supplied by the 
imagination. It follows that the imagination is a very 
efficient means of cultivating the passions. 

SYMPATHY AND DICTATION AS A MEANS FOR THE 
CULTIVATION OF THE MENTAL STATES. 

Sympathy in connection with imitation, enables us 
to enter into the feelings of another and to act them 
out as if they were our own. This power to imitate or 
assume the passions of others educates those emotions 



NATUKAL CULTIVATION. 259 

in ourselves. Whenever we voluntarily imitate the 
gestures or signs of a passion displayed by another, 
that passion has a tendency to arise in our own minds. 
Sympathy implies the effective working of many of 
the faculties of our constitution ; for in order to sym- 
pathize with another's mental state we must have that 
state in some degree of activity in ourselves. The very 
attempt, however, to form a conception of the passion 
which rages within the breast of a loved friend, and 
to make it our own, develops that passion within 
ourselves. The best way to employ sympathy as a 
means of cultivation is for the orator to mingle with 
men belonging to all stations of life, to observe their 
actions under the various emotions and endeavor to 
make these mental states and tneir language his own, 
If the orator is deficient in some particular feeling 
which he wishes to cultivate in himself, his best 
means of training is to seek out those noted for the 
possession of that emotion and sympathize with them. 
If pity or benevolence are the feelings which he wishes 
to develop, then let him visit the poor and wretched 
outcasts of humanity. Let him try to enter into their 
feelings, assume their sorrows and pity them. Sym- 
pathy can also train the mental states in many other 
ways. An orator, for instance, may take up a partic- 
ular character in a play and endeavor to sympathize 
or enter into the feelings and thoughts of that charac- 
ter. Many emotions and passions will be aroused in 
this way which could not have been stirred by any 
other process. 

OPPOSITION AS A MEANS OF CULTIVATION. 

How speedily do many of the mental states arise 
under opposition. When some one opposes our oip- 
inion or endeavors to curb our liberty our whole con- 



260 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

stitution rapidly springs into activity. There is in- 
creased vigor of circulation together with accelerated 
expression. The mental states are intensely vivid, 
especially those which are necessary to resist the en- 
croachment upon our rights or opinions. Witness 
two men engaged in intellectual combat, how animated 
they become, how expressive, how ready with sharp 
and cutting remarks or quick retort, how the eye 
flashes, the bosom heaves and how appropriate are 
the expressions of face and body. The feelings are 
alive within, they have been stirred by debate. 
Mental force and nerve power have been developed 
under the stimulus of opposition. There is a glory 
in vanquishing an opponent which originates a con- 
sciousness of strength in the mind. This conscious- 
ness of strength gives the debaters confidence in 
their powers, and they display flights of eloquence 
which in their calmer moments they would be afraid 
to attempt. Although the feelings commonly stimu- 
lated by opposition are the emotions of resistance, 
pride, self-esteem and stubborness, yet many other 
emotions are stimulated to aid these so that opposi- 
tion is an exceedingly effective means of education. 
If an orator wishes to prepare himself to speak upon 
a given subject, he would do well to request some 
combative friend to take the opposite side and dis- 
cuss the question with him. The readiness of lawyers 
to reply to an adversary and the energy with which 
they plead a case spring from the spur of opposition. 
If it is desirable to cultivate a particular emotion by 
means of opposition, curb that emotion of its free ex- 
pression and then let it have full sway, the outburst 
will be intensely violent. 

Another way of developing a particular feeling is 
to get somebody to oppose the desire of that emotion 



NATUBAL CULTIVATION. 261 

or to threaten to attack it by an opposite feeling. 
The emotion under this spur will be vigorously stim- 
ulated. This fact may be seen illustrated even in 
those of a cowardly disposition. How often do the 
timid manifest a combative disposition when sur- 
rounded by danger, which in their natural surround- 
ings they never manifest! How often does joy 
spring from natures long depressed by sorrow ? 
Fear gives way to courage ; hatred to love. In truth, 
the passions seem to alternate in their influence 
upon mind and body ; one would almost think that 
if any class should long prevail to the exclusion of 
the others, injury to the constitution would result. 
Advantage may be taken of opposition and alterna- 
tion of emotional states to cultivate the various men- 
tal states. 

Playfulness of faculties cultivates the mental states. 
In a vigorous constitution vitality is so abundant 
that it must have an outlet in some direction. If there 
is no task set before the mind, in the performance of 
which vitality will be consumed, then an outlet is 
sought by the mental states in mimic duties. This is 
fully shown by young children and animals. The child 
romps and plays because the mental states are charged 
with vitality and must find an outlet. The games of 
children generally take an emotive direction. The 
little girl exercises maternal love in embracing the 
doll, or her friendship in kissing her companions. 
Every sound excites some emotion and is accompanied 
by screams of pleasure. All the mental states are ex- 
ercised in their games. It is the same with boys 
even in a greater degree. All the mimic -encounters* 
trials of strength, and feats of skill are but playful 
exercises of the mental states. Dogs and kittens cul- 
tivate their mental states very much in the same way 



262 ELOCUTION AND OBATOKY. 

as children. Their playful gambols, their mimic wor- 
rying and biting of each other, their imitated growls 
and vigorous wrestling are the means by which they 
cultivate their internal propensities. The propensi- 
ties and emotions depend more upon this kind of 
stimulation for their development than do the intel- 
lectual faculties. Hence the reason why "All work 
and no play makes Jack a dull boy." This also ac- 
counts in some degree for the circumstance that close 
students are so dry and uninteresting in their conver- 
sation. Their emotional nature is starved in order to 
feed the intellectual. The playful exercise of the 
mental states besides having a high value as an edu- 
cational force, is productive of the most exhilarating 
effects upon the health and vitality of all the organs 
of body and brain. 

As an aid to expression, due liberty should be given 
to the desire of the mental states to exercise them- 
selves in playful actions. It is a well-known fact that 
children who are in the habit of taking playful exer- 
cise are more expressive than those who do not join 
in such exercise. And we have often felt even in 
adult life how useful playful exercise has been to us 
in preparing for some vigorous exercise of mind or 
body. If we desire to develop the mental states we 
should exercise them in playful sports. Almost every 
emotion is capable of development in this way, and 
indeed we oftentimes resort to this method of culture 
instinctively. How often, for example, do we banter 
our friends to fight, to wrestle or to run. These ex- 
ercises cultivate the combative, emulative and self- 
reliant emotions. Then again we playfully imitate 
our friends by direct sallies of wit or humor, and we 
are ready to laugh heartily at their replies. This 
cultivates the mirthful emotions. Again, we often 



NATUBAL CULTIVATION. 268 

taunt our friends or make disparaging insinuations 
in order to draw out their aggressive emotions, which 
when roused, impart a pleasant stimulation to similar 
emotions in us. And so on in a hundred ways, we 
thus playfully exercise our emotions. Now, in order 
to make use of this kind of cultivation for the purpose 
of training particular mental states, it is only neces- 
sary to direct the playful disposition solely toward 
the particular mental state. 

EXERCISE AS A MEANS OF CULTIVATION. 

The methods of training the emotions which we 
have enumerated, have involved more or less simple 
mental cultivation. We now wish to show the influ- 
ence of bodily exercise as a means of cultivating the 
mental states. The vigor and activity of the emo- 
tions depend largely upon the circulation of the 
blood. Any exciting cause which sends the blood 
to the brain increases the intensity of feeling. The 
most effectual means of stimulation is exercise ; rapid 
movement of the body or limbs increases the circula- 
tion of the vital currents. 

Bodily exercises stimulate powerfully the exhila- 
rating emotions — joy, courage and resistance. Phys- 
ical exercise is necessary to keep the body and brain 
in a healthy state of activity, and such a state is al- 
ways conducive to vivid mental feeling and expres- 
sion. Hence the orator should never neglect system- 
atic physical training. 

Association may also be used as a means of cul- 
tivating the mental states. When objects have be- 
come associated with certain emotions the presence 
of these objects tends to stimulate such emotions. 
We have all doubtless experienced how vividly our 



264 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

home recalls feelings of love and pleasure. The men- 
tion of the word " home " is sufficient to start up at 
once a troop of joyful emotions. The sacred vest- 
ments, hallowed rites, and churchly adornments 
awaken feelings of reverence in the devout church- 
man. This is because these garments have been as- 
sociated for ages with the feelings of sublimity and 
reverence. During the Crusades the emotional na- 
ture of those who sought the Holy Land was kept 
intensely excited by the presence of sacred relics 
and places. Association has been a powerful stimu- 
lus to the mental states in all ages. Much of the 
pleasure derived from books on biography or descrip- 
tions of famous places springs from their association 
with powerful emotions. To employ association in 
the cultivation of the mental states it is necessary to 
place ourselves in scenes and places which have been 
associated with the emotions we wish to excite and 
develop. Probably the strong emotions can hardly 
be more effectually awakened than by association. 
Witness, for example, the love passion. A lover under 
the influence of the passion of love when the object 
of his affection has been removed from his presence 
by death or exile, fondly treads the paths or seeks 
the places where she was wont to meet him. Every 
scene, every event, every token has some association 
which recalls her memory. One spot reminds him of 
her happy smile or farewell pledge ; another of some 
grief or sorrow which she entrusted to his confidence. 
It is evident that the more vivid the associations, the 
more numerous the objects which recall them, the 
more powerfully will the love-passion be stirred. It 
is the same with all other emotions, association will 
develop and educate them. 



NATURAL CULTIVATION. 265 

THE ASSUMPTION OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE MENTAL 
STATES. 

We come now to one of the most efficient means of 
exciting and cultivating the mental states ; namely, 
the assumption of the natural language. It has been 
shown that the mental states when excited tend to 
express themselves in gestures of body, facial expres- 
sions and vocal tones ; that each emotion always 
expresses itself by the same signs ; that the language 
of love, for instance, never could be mistaken for the 
language of fear. It was also shown that the depres- 
sing emotions produced effects on the vital and vol- 
untary organs and on the instruments of expression 
different from those produced by the elevating emo- 
tions. The facial expression in the manifestation of 
the elevating emotions was open and elevated, the 
muscles of the face being raised, while in the depres- 
sive emotions the facial expression was contracted 
and the muscles were drawn down. It was also 
shown that the expression was the same for the same 
emotion and differed in degree only, not in kind. 
That is, the violence of the language coresponded 
with the state of the passion whether simple, excite- 
mental or passional. These facts enabled us to ana- 
lyze, separate and classify the various emotions, pas- 
sions and propensities and to assign to each its na- 
tural language. Such analysis we deemed of im- 
portance because furnishing a convenient means of 
elocutionary instruction. For, from the study of 
these mental states and their language, two princi- 
ples expressing the emotions were evolved. (1) To 
excite the mental state the language would be likely 
to follow ; (2) To assume the language and thus ex- 
press the emotions in an artificial way. The first 



206 ELOCUTION AND OBATOBY. 

principle we thought to be the more effectual be- 
cause more likely to lead to correct and natural ex- 
pression. The second principle we did not favor as 
a means of expression because it was a roundabout 
process and seemed to be, " putting the cart before 
the horse ;" at any rate it was likely to lead to artifi- 
ciality. Though we do not favor the assumption of 
the natural language of the emotious for the purpose 
of expressing these mental states to an audience, yet 
we do favor their assumption by the speaker for the 
purpose of inducing the mental states. This is the 
next means of educating the feelings which we are 
now about to describe. 

There is no doubt but that the language of each 
emotion when displayed excites that emotion in the 
minds of the spectators. We can witness this any 
day. Observe men under the influence of passion, 
do you not feel yourself beginning to manifest the 
same passion which animates them ? The language 
of the passion always suggests that passion- It is 
also true that if we assume the gesture, facial expres- 
sion and tones of voice which represent a certain pas- 
sion, we will begin to feel that emotion arising within 
us. If this is true, one of the very best means of cul- 
tivating the internal mental states is to assume their 
language. But we must bear in mind that the as- 
sumption of the language of the passions is merely 
volitional, and that feeling is involuntary, so that it 
is possible to assume the language Avithout feeling 
the emotion. This is always the case with those who 
are deficient in oratorical sensibility, whose natures 
are cold or who lack some of the mental states, but 
this is no argument against this method of cultivation 
for those who have natural gifts for oratory. If cer- 
tain emotions are wanting in some constitutions and 



NATUBAL CULTIVATION. 267 

tlie assumption of the language of these emotions 
produces no internal feeling, simply remaining lifeless 
signs, then artificiality in delivery becomes manifest. 
But this only shows what is true of all other branches 
of instruction, that some are by nature unqualified 
for oratory. It becomes, not a question of how far 
can elocutionary training be effective in producing 
natural delivery, but how well can it impart such a 
delivery to those who have not the capacity to receive 
oratorical instruction ? If these incapables were 
weeded out from the consideration altogether there 
could be no question respecting the utility of a sys- 
tem of elocutionary instruction conducted according 
to the principles laid down in this book. 

Having arrived at this conclusion we recommend 
the student to go over carefully each of the passions 
which we have analyzed. Endeavor to form a cor- 
rect conception of the mental state and by medita- 
tion upon the sources by which the mental state was 
excited let him try to excite the same feeling in his 
own mind. Then observe the language by which the 
passion or emotion is represented and endeavor by 
the assumption of this language to excite the mental 
state. This method of cultivation is not only highly 
effective but it conforms to all the laws of expression. 
It is a well-known fact that feeling is injurious not 
only to the constitution, but also to correct and vig- 
orous expression when it does not find an outlet in 
action. The method of cultivation here recommended 
not only supplies a powerful means of stimulating 
the passion or emotion but also supplies the way by 
which that emotion will vent itself in action. No in- 
jury can therefore, result to the constitution nor ob- 
struction to the expression ; for whenever the emo- 



268 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tion is stimulated, the actions by which it makes itself 
known are ready to be followed. 

The feeling" when excited cannot remain pent up 
within the mind but finds a ready outlet through its 
appropriate channels of expression. This has been 
the practice of all great orators and actors from De- 
mosthenes to Lord Chatham. The orators of ancient 
Greece and Kome, and our modern orators were 
wont to excite the mental states by deep and careful 
meditation of sublime selections from the great poets ; 
when fired by the mental state they delivered them- 
selves in appropriate vocal tones and bodily gestures. 
In this way feeling was developed within the brain 
and found a ready outlet through the appropriate 
channels of expression. The mental states were not 
divorced from their natural language, passion and 
expression were the equivalents of each other. The 
advantage of this kind of training is apparent because 
it is the most efficient means of preparation. The 
mental states and their delivery are bound to keep 
pace with each other. They are not separated, the 
one stimulates and accompanies the other. If the 
feeling is powerful, the expression will be correspond- 
ingly violent. Body, voice, eye, are ready to promptly 
serve the mental states. Moreover, vocal inflection 
stress, emphasis, and tone are really the soul of each 
word when the mental state is active and utters it- 
self in words or gestures, there is complete unity of 
sense and sound, feeling and expression. The orator 
who cultivates his gifts in this manner will find that 
his capacity of expression keeps pace with his power 
to feel, and the most gratifying thought of all is, that 
both have been developed at the same time and with 
the same amount of labor. 



NATURAL CULTIVATION. 269 

EXTEMPORIZATION AS A MEANS OF CULTIVATING THE 
MENTAL STATES. 

The effort to speak extempore upon a given sub- 
ject wakes up the mental faculties. An active stimu- 
lus diffuses itself through the mind during such efforts 
which may be directed to one or more of the passions 
for the purpose of cultivation. There are several use- 
ful means of employing extempore speaking in the 
cultivation of the passions. 1. Natural conversation, 
upon topics interesting to us. When we have lis- 
tened to a concert or play, or have just returned from 
a pleasure excursion, the mind is full of excitement 
produced by the joys we have experienced and en- 
deavors to communicate its feelings to others. If, 
while in this state, we converse freely and animatedly 
with our companions we are sure to develop the emo- 
tional nature. Conversation in its various stages 
and its numerous and different subjects may then be 
used as a means of cultivating the emotions. 

The topics in elevated conversation are often those 
which form the subjects of oratory. The news- 
papers, novels, and local occurrences supply material 
for conversation, and as these deal with men and 
women in situations which appeal to the emotional 
nature such conversation will develop the correspond- 
ing mental states in both speaker and listener. But 
it is important that the subjects of conversation 
should be elevated, not trifling. Conversation con- 
sists very often of small talk, stale remarks, the dis- 
cussion of some trite subject, #ommon observations 
on men and things which anybody could make and 
which have been made so often that their reproduc- 
tion excites a smile in the observant and wise. Such 
conversation should be avoided if the orator aims at 
a true development of the mental states. The dis- 



270 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

cussion of a poem, poet, or novel of acknowledged 
merit, the reproduction in your own language of a 
story which you have been reading, an off-hand de- 
scription of a sublime or beautiful scene, which you 
have at some time witnessed, will not only cultivate 
the mental states but will develop more or less every 
essential element in oratorical speaking which is 
simply exaggerated conversational speaking. En- 
gage, therefore, as much as possible in earnest and 
elevating conversation, and become listeners as often 
as possible to such conversation on the part of 
others. 2. The second method of extempore speaking 
which is able to develop the emotions and passions is 
by extemporizing on & given subject or on one or 
more of the mental states separately. Take a sub- 
ject which will appeal to the emotional nature and 
speak off-hand upon it. There will be developed by 
this process more or less feeling, which may be 
skillfully used to develop any one of the emotions or 
passions. So natural and successful is this method 
of developing the feelings that those who simply 
study delivery for the purpose of reading, will 
do well to pursue this plan, for it will aid them in 
delivering naturally that which they are about to 
read. Suppose, by way of illustration, that the elo- 
cutionist is preparing to read a selection from a poet 
or orator which has passion in it. Let him take up 
the passions one at a time and study the written lan- 
guage until he has a definite conception in his own 
mind of the meaning v of each. Then let him express 
in his own language the matter of the passion, and 
that feeling will be awakened in himself and the de- 
livery thus employed will be natural and will give the 
keynote or outline of how he ought to deliver the 
passage even in the words of another. This kind of 



NATTJEAL CULTIVATION. 271 

training can be employed to great advantage not only 
in cultivating the emotions and passions, but as a 
means of invigorating all the elements of successful 
oratory. I have given many of the very best selec- 
tions of the passions for this purpose. Let the elo- 
cutionist or orator study each faithfully and endeavor 
to reproduce them in his own way ; he will find not 
only his capacity to feel his subject increased but his 
natural style of elocution will be improved. 

BETENTION OF THE MENTAL STATES. 

Having shown the various methods of cultivation 
of the mental states it may now be desirable to show 
how they may be retained and fixed as elements in 
expression. The principles which guide this reten- 
tion or persistence of the mental states may be stated 
in the form of two laws. 1. Those mental states 
which have been the most vividly excited will again 
be easily aroused. 2. Those which have been the 
most frequently excited will have the greater perma- 
nence. It is a law of our constitution that mental 
states which have been once vividly excited will tend 
to recur again. There is most assuring and effective 
means of cultivating the emotional states. If we can 
but once excite them into vigorous activity they will 
be more ready to respond when occasion for their 
exercise in expression occurs. This is the real 
ground for oratorical training. To keep alive the 
mental states, to exercise and develop them for future 
use should be the object of elocutionary training. 
We all know how the exhilarating emotions and pas- 
sions tend to keep the mind intently fixed on the 
objects which stimulate these mental states, to the 
exclusion of all others. Joy, for instance, seems to 
pervade the whole body and brain, there can be no 



272 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

other feeling experienced until this emotion has had 
full sway. This vividness will be the most effectual 
means of its recall. The mind does not easily forget 
those states of feeling or passion which have disturbed 
its sensitive organs the most violently. The readi- 
ness of an emotion to respond to stimulation, bears a 
definite relation to the temperament of body. The 
vital or emotional temperament being the most favor- 
able to vivid excitement is also the most sensitive to 
the revival of emotional states. 

The second law we formulated was, that those men- 
tal states which have been the most frequently excited 
will have the greater permanence. This is simply a 
law of continuance and repetition. If an emotion or 
passion has been repeatedly felt or has been detained 
long in the mind, it will not only be easily revived 
but will have a strong tendency to become a perma- 
nent mental state. We are all acquainted with the 
effect of repetition in the exercise of bodily functions. 
The most difficult feats can be accomplished with ease 
by repeated trials. When the emotional states are 
frequently induced they tend to become habitual or 
automatic. Any special emotion can be made perma- 
nent by habit. If it is desired to cultivate the emo- 
tions of love, glory or approbation so that they may 
become permanently active, they must be repeated 
until they have become habitual mental states, and 
when they have become habitual, they will readily 
respond to the objects or ideas which stimulate them. 






CHAPTEK XI. 



THE EXPRSESION OF THE MENTAL STATES SHOULD BE IN 
KEEPING WITH THE NATURE OF THE PASSION. 

All the mental states have their appropriate 
word-language. The intellectual faculties express 
themselves in words which signify intellectual opera- 
tions. The emotions and passions reveal themselves 
in words which indicate the true nature of each emo- 
tion. We have stated in a previous chapter that the 
nature of the mental states resembled their causes. 
We will now trace the expression of the mental states 
in word-language. Every thought prompted by an 
emotion or passion is termed a sentiment. To have 
a general notion of the different passions will not 
alone enable an orator or actor to make a just repre- 
sentation of any passion. He ought, in addition, to 
know the various appearances of the same passion 
in different persons. Temperament and every pecu- 
liarity of character tinctures the expression of the 
passions ; for that reason it seldom happens that 
a passion is expressed in precisely the same way by 
any two persons. Hence the actor or orator ought 
(273) 



274 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

to adjust the passion to the [character, the sentiment 
to the passion, and the language to the sentiment. In 
order to do this the natural expression of each pas- 
sion should be observed, not in one person, but in 
many. Nor should the orator confine himself to a 
general knowledge of the passions ; he ought to ac- 
quaint himself with the details of expression. A 
sculptor cannot represent the various attitudes of the 
body unless he is intimately acquainted with muscu- 
lar motion. Neither can an orator or actor represent 
the various attitudes of the mind if he have but a 
superficial knowledge of the expression of the emo- 
tions and of the characters of men. 

This chapter will be useful not only to orators who 
have to speak or write their thoughts but also to 
actors and readers who aim at a correct delivery of 
written sentiments. It is unnatural to divorce deliv- 
ery from the written thoughts and words. A reader 
cannot properly deliver sentiments unless he fully 
understands their nature. He should understand why 
peculiar passions have particular word-signs. Other- 
wise he simply utters words with stress, inflection 
and emphasis without adequately apprehending their 
meaning. All figures of speech and characteristics 
of literature are originated by the mental states. 

The actor or reader should acquaint himself with 
the causes of different styles of composition, in other 
words, he ought not to stop at the surface but seek to 
fathom the depths of expression. Behind every sen- 
timent there is a mental state which moulds its char- 
acter. Words are hard or soft, burning or cold, sad 
or joyful, according to the emotion they express. 
Sentences are abrupt, smooth, elegant, concise or ve- 
hement according to the nature of the sentiment. The 
study of word-language is necessary in order to prop- 



THE MENTAL STATES. 275 

erly deliver the written discourse. How utterly erro- 
neous and unnatural, therefore, is our modern system 
of teaching oratory. Thousands of books on the sub- 
ject of delivery are at the present time in circulation, 
which contain not the slightest allusion to the princi- 
ples which regulate the style of composition. Books 
on oratory are now called " Systems of Elocution," 
because they attempt to teach delivery without regard 
to the principles of written discourse. This is a de- 
parture from the excellent methods of the schools of 
Greece and Rome. The masters who taught the great- 
est orators the world has yet known were not only 
teachers of elocution but of rhetoric. Their acquaint- 
ance with the laws of composition supplied them with 
reasons for the various modes of expression in deliv- 
ery ; hence their wonderful success ; they produced 
orators, not elocutionists ; speakers, not declairners. 

A general notion of the emotions and passions in 
their grosser differences of strong and weak, sad or 
gay, humble or elevated is not sufficient. No vivid 
word-representation of passion can be built up upon 
such superficial knowledge. At the same time, in 
handling the present subject it would be an endless 
task to attempt to trace even the ordinary passions 
through their minute differences. We shall therefore 
lay down some principles, illustrated by examples of 
faulty and perfect word-representations of the emo- 
tions by which the actor or orator can form others. 

We have stated that all the mental states in their 
excitation and manifestation, generally underwent 
three great crises or stages. The simple or normal, 
excitemental or emotional, and the passional ; that is, 
the excitement and expression of every mental state, 
is climatic. 

We traced the importance of this distinction in de- 



276 ELOCUTION AND ORATOBY. 

livery, we now wish to show its relation to word-ex- 
pression. If in the delivery of the mental states it 
was shown to be unnatural to assume violent gestures 
and vehement tones to express a simple state of ex- 
citement, so also it is unnatural to represent the pri- 
mary stages of emotion by words expressive of vio- 
lent passion. The intensity of the emotions and 
passions seldom continues uniform for any consider- 
able time ; they generally fluctuate, swelling and sub- 
siding by turns, and the same sentiment cannot accu- 
rately express the emotions unless they correspond 
to such fluctuations. Perhaps we can make this more 
clear by a concrete illustration. Awoman has lately 
buried out of sight a loved child. One day she is sit- 
ting alone, meditating, at an open window. Her 
thoughts are not directed in any particular channel, 
she is in a state of simple receptivity. But on look- 
ing through the window she is attracted by some 
object which calls up a remembrance of her child. 
It maj T be the corner where her dear one was accus- 
tomed to play, or perhaps a little playmate of her 
child is just passing by her window. At first there 
is a feeling of sadness. The intellect is busy recal- 
ling all the little incidents connected with her child. 
This is the first stage of the emotion of love of off- 
spring mingled with sadness. Then comes the sec- 
ond, when the intellect has supplied food for the 
excitement of her love, and grief begins to take the 
place of reason. This is the emotional state. Words 
and gestures and exclamations express the sorrow of 
her heart. In this stage the intellect, if it operates 
at all, dwells on the striking events which have 
aroused the emotion of sorrow. Then comes the 
third stage : When grief takes possession of heart 
intellect and will, she no longer reasons, but gives 



THE MENTAL STATES. 277 

vent to her grief in tears and sobs or her grief be- 
comes so intense that all utterance is denied. This 
is the passional state of sorrow. In the simple state 
it would be right to make comparisons and to employ 
figurative expressions, but when the passional states 
prevail intellectual thought and imaginative imagery- 
are entirely out of place. Another illustration may 
be drawn from the different excitemental stages of 
the propensity of combativeness. When a man meets 
with opposition he prepares to defend himself ; this 
is the preparatory or simple state. But when the 
opposition increases, either by taunts or acts on the 
part of his opponent, the excitemental or emotional 
state arises. In both these stages the injured per- 
son may reflect or reason upon the slights he has 
received ; intellectual thoughts and comparisons are 
proper, but when the third stage — the passional — 
arises, there is an end to intellectual musing. The 
man utters violent words and resorts to blows. 

Shakespeare has truly represented the grief of Oth- 
ello, in all its various stages from the simple to the 
intense passional state in the following passage : 
Oth. Behold, I have a weapon ; 

A better never did itself sustain 

Upon a soldier's thigh : I have seen the day, 

That, with this little arm and this good sword, 

I have made my way through more impediments 

Than twenty times your stop : but, O vain boast I 

Who can control his fate ? 'tis not so now. 

Be not afraid, though you do see me weapon'd ; 

Here is my journey's end, here is my butt, 

And very sea-mark of my utmost sail. 

Do you go back dismay' d ? 'tis a lost fear ; 

Man but a rush against Othello's breast, 

And he retires. Where should Othello go ? 

Now, how dost thou look now ? O ill-starr'd wench ! 

Pale as thy smock ! when we shall meet at compt, 



278 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

This look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven, 
And fiends will snatch at it. Cold, cold, my girl ! 
Even like thy chastity. O cursed slave ! 
Whip me, ye devils, 

From the possession of this heavenly sight ! 
Blow me about in winds ! roast me in sulphur ! 
Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire 
O Desdemona ! Desdemona ! dead ! 
Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! 

Othello begins to express his grief in sentiments 
which are only remotely connected with his loss, but 
these bring recollections of the power he has lost. 
A more emotional state arises with the utterance of 
the words, " But, O vain boast," and increases in 
vigor with the mention of each particular until the 
recollection that Desdemona is forever lost, inflames 
his grief more and more. Still he dwells with tender 
recollections on the cause of his grief, but as all the 
appalling events of his crime arise, and future por- 
tents take possession of his mind he loses all self- 
control and reaches the passionate state, remorse and 
despair. In this state he gives utterance to the wild- 
est exclamations. 

O cursed slave ! 

Whip me, ye devils, 

From the possession of this heavenly sight ! 

Blow me about in winds ! roast me in sulphur ! 

Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire ! * 

O Desdemona ! Desdemona ! dead ! 

Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! 

This is a correct word-representation of remorse 
and despair in all their stages, simple, emotional, 
violent ; even to the exhausted stage which generally 
accompanies all violent passions. The words " Oh J 
Oh !" indicate that the strength of the passion has been 
wasted in words and gestures but now it is so over- 
whelming that utterance is denied. 



THE MENTAL STATES. 279 

The quarrel scene between Brutus and Cassius in 
the play of Julius Cseser, and the combat between 
Norval and Glenalvon in Dr. Home's play of " Doug- 
las " are correct representations of the combative pro- 
pensity in its emotional and passional stages. 

Brutus and Cassius taunt each other and make 
allusions which gradually lead from a simple to a 
passional state of excitement. In the quarrel be- 
tween Nerval and Glenalvon there is a perfect climax 
of feeling. Glenalvon awakens Norvals combative- 
ness into passional activity by repeated sneers and 
contemptuous allusions to his humble birth. 

Norv. So I am 

And who is Norval in Glenalvon' s eyes ? 

Glen. A peasant's son, a wand'ring beggar-boy, 
At best no more, even if lie speaks the truth. 

Norv. False as thou art, dost thou suspect my truth ? 
Glen. Thy truth ! thou'rt all a lie ; and false as hell 
Is the vain-glorious tale thou told'st to Randolph. 

Norv. If I were chain'd, unarm'd, and bed-rid old, 
Perhaps I should revile : But as I am 
I have no tongue to rail. The humble Norval 
Is of a race who strive not but with deeds. 
Did I not fear to freeze thy shallow valor, 
And make thee sink too soon beneath my sword, 
I'd tell thee — what thou art. I know thee well. 

Glen. Dost thou know Glenalvon, born to command 
Ten thousand slaves like thee ? 

Norv. Villain, no more : 
Draw and defend thy life. I did design 
To have defy'd thee in another cause : 
But heaven accelerates its vengeance on thee. 
Now for my own and Lady Randolph's wrongs. 

— Dr. Home's " Douglas." 

OKDER OF PASSION. 

The different stages of an emotion from the simple 
to the passional must be carefully represented in their 
order. The passion of anger or resentment induced 



280 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

by an atrocious injury vents its fury upon the author 
before it leads the sufferer to weep for the injury sus- 
tained. It would be incorrect to represent a bereaved 
lover giving- way to the wildest exclamations of grief 
at the very opening of her lamentations, the causes of 
her sorrow must present themselves to her mind be- 
fore the violent stage arises. It would be equally in- 
correct for her to bewail her own hapless condition 
before mourning the death of her lover. Orators in 
expressing the emotions should be careful not to com- 
mit this fault, as it raises in the mind of the auditor 
an impression of insincerity. It is always best to 
throw out a few of the more striking circumstances 
likely to kindle emotion in the mind of the listener 
before alluding to the depths of one's own feelings. 
In this way the audience will be prepared for the per- 
sonal expression of passion, since the events related 
struck similar chords in their breasts and rendered 
them capable of sympathizing with the sjDeaker's feel- 
ings. 

The sentiments should correspond to the fluctuation 
of a mind agitated by different passions. In the en- 
deavor to represent passion by written language it 
should be remembered that a person may be agitated 
at the same time by different passions, and the mind 
in that case, quivering like the hands of a polar mag- 
net out of its bearings, vents itself in sentiments which 
partake of the same restless emotions. The dramatic 
writer never shows his genius more truly than in the 
delineation of character raging with various passions, 
hence in dramatic literature few examples of correct 
word-representation of such characters can be found. 
The public speaker may often find various passions 
raging in his breast which he wishes to impress upon 
the hearts of his audience ; he ought, therefore, to 



THE MENTAL STATES. 281 

study the word, representations of these passions by 
the great dramatist. 

The following- extract from Shakespeare's "Borneo 
and Juliet" exhibits the fluctuations of a mind 
agitated by conflicting passions. 

Juliet under the conflicting Passions of Geief, Love, and 

Anger. 

Nurse. Will you speak well of him that kill'd your cousin ? 

Jul. Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband ? 
Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name, 
When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it ? 
But, wherefore ,villain, didst thou kill my cousin? 
That villain cousin would have kill'd my husband : 
Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring ; 
Your tributary drops belong to woe, 
Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy. 
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain ; 
And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband : 
All this is comfort ; wherefore weep I then ? 
Some word there was, worser than Tybalt's death, 
That murder' d me : I would forget it fain ; 
But, O, it presses to my memory, 
Like damn'd guilty deeds to sinners' minds : 
"Tybalt is dead, and Romeo — banished;" 
That " banished," that one word " banished," 
Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt's death 
Was woe enough, if it had ended there : 
Or, if our sour woe delights in fellowship 
And needy will be rank'd with other griefs, 
Why follow'd not, when she said " Tybalt's dead," 
Thy father, or thy mother, nay, or both, 
Which modern lamentation might have moved ? 
But with a rear-ward following Tybalt's death. 
"Romeo is banished," to speak that word 
Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet, 
All slain< all dead. " Romeo is banished !" 
There is no end, no limit, bound, 
In that word's death ; no words can that woe sound. 
Where is my father, and my mother, nurse ? 

Nurse, Weeping and wailing over Tybalt's corse z 



282 ELOCUTION AND 01UT0RY. 

Will you go to them ? I will bring you thither. 
Jul. Wash they his wounds with tears : mine shall be 
spent, 
When theirs are dry, for Romeo's banishment, 
Take up those cords : poor ropes, you are beguiled, 
Both you and I ; for Romeo is exiled : 
He made you for a highway to my bed ; 
But I, a maid, die maiden-widowed. 
Come, cords, come, nurse ; I'll to my wedding-bed. 

The actor, reader and orator should analyze the 
various passions which are found in this speech, and 
endeavor to feel and express them in appropriate 
vocal language. 



THE SENTIMENT SHOULD CORRESPOND TO THE TONE 
OF THE PASSIONS. 

This is by no means an easy task, since in order to 
reach such delicacy of execution, it is necessary to 
assume the precise character and passion of the per- 
sonage represented. In the unfolding of characters 
acting under the influence of various passions, the 
orator must forget his own personality and think him- 
self to be the character he wishes to represent. In 
this way the passions will be correctly portrayed. 
But it is only a dramatic genius who can do this. We 
have very many good speakers who describe passion, 
but few who present them in their activity. Many 
who can give descriptions of persons under passion 
but few who can make them live in the present. The 
following extract from Othello is a good example of a 
correct word-representation of passion in actual activ- 
ity. 

Othello just after the Murder of Desdemona is Interrupted 
by Emilia. 
Emil. [Within] My lord, my lord! what, ho! my lord, my 
lord! 



THE MENTAL STATES. 283 

Oth. What noise is this ! Not dead ? not yet quite dead ? 
I that am cruel am yet merciful : 
I would not have thee linger in thy pain : 
So, so. 

Emil. [Within] What, ho : my lord, my lord ! 

Oth. Who's there ? 

Emil. [Within] O, good my lord, I would speak a word 
with you ! 

Oth. Yes : 'tis Emilia. By and by. She's dead. 
'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death. — 
The noise was here. Ha ! no more moving ? 
Still as the grave. Shall she come in ? were't good ? — 
I think she stirs again : — no. What's best to do ? 
K she comes in, she'll sure speak to my wife : 
My wife ! my wife ! what wife ? I have no wife : 
O, insupportable ! O heavy hour ! 
Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse 
Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe 
Should yawn at alteration. 

Emil. [Within] I do beseech you 

That I may speak with you, O, good my lord ! 

Oth. I had forgot thee : O, come in, Emelia : 
Soft ; by and by. Let me the curtain draw. 
Where art thou ? 

Word-representations may be above or below the 
tone of the passion or the sentiment may be too arti- 
ficial or trifling. As examples of sentiment not in 
keeping with the nature of the emotion, all bombastic, 
grandiloquent and trashy word-representations may 
be cited. 

Yery few writers seem to be gifted with the power 
to make passions live in the present, and the same re- 
mark applies to orators. Speakers should seldom de- 
scribe a passion, they should act it. If they are 
burning with love, sympathy or hope, let such pas- 
sions flame in their gestures, exclamations, words 
and tones of voice rather than in dry description. It 
is in vain to tell an audience how you feel. " I have 
so much sympathy with the cause," etc. Show by 



284 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

your actions and sentiments that you are in earnest. 

How feeble and ludicrous is the following. A man 
stabbed to the heart, in a fight with his foeman de- 
scribes his own death thus : 
So now I am at rest— 
I feel death rising higher still, and higher, 
Within my bosom ; every breath I fetch 
Shuts up my life within a shorter compass. 
And like the vanishing sound of bells, grows less, 
And less each pulse, till it be lost in air. 

— Dryden. 
Many of the sentiments of love, earnestness and 
sympathy uttered by public speakers are ludicrous. 



PASSIONS SHOULD BE REGULATED BY REASON AND 
PROPRIETY. 

In the delineation of passion by word and gesture 
the orator must never forget that he is a human be- 
ing. In his most stormy moods he must beget a 
calmness that may give it smoothness. In other 
words, reason must guide the selection of sentiments 
that may be expressed with propriety. 

Fiendish and immoral passions must not be revealed 
in their true colors. "There is no wretch so depraved 
but has a spark of conscience left, which pleads like 
trumpet tongues the deep damnation of his sin." 
What horrid monster could shed human blood with- 
out a shudder and boast of the action afterwards? The 
vilest assassin strives to hide his deeds, and the worst 
sinner upturns the fair face of hypocrisy to the world. 
Even the murderers of the boy-princes in Kichard the 
Third, trembled and hesitated, and Macbeth, con- 
science-stricken at the sound of prayer could not say 
" Amen." Shakespeare commits this error when he 



THE MENTAL STATES. 285 

puts in the mouth of Lady Macbeth the ferocious 

sentiment : 

Come, all you spirits 
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here 
And fill me from the crown to th' toe, top-full 
Of direst cruelty ; make thick my blood, 
Stop up the access and passage to remorse 
That, no compunctious visitings of nature 
Shake my fell purpose. 



WOEDS SHOULD BE IN KEEPING WITH THE NATUEE OF 
THE SENTIMENTS. 

In the early stages of the human race the emotions 
and passions were more frequently called into activity 
than the intellectual faculties. The chief occupations 
were agriculture and grazing. Abstract science and 
philosophy were almost unknown. Hence we find 
that the language of early races expresses the emo- 
tional rather than the intellectual mental states. 
Ideality awakened by the contemplation of the 
beauty of natural scenery, employed words indica- 
tive of perfection. The love emotions originated a 
class of words expressive of love in its gentle and 
passionate moods ; the aggressive passions clothed 
themselves in heroic words. Yigor of expression 
was sought after rather than elegance, and imitative 
significance rather than artificial representation. 
Men full of poetry, imagination and passion sought 
to express feelings in words whose sound resembled 
the objects they saw or the passions that agitated 
their minds ; hence rose that large number of imita- 
tive words, figures of speech, and passionate excla- 
mations. Water was said to run, glide, purl, ripple, 
splash, according to its motion. Whistle, rattle, 
clatter, crash, bang, roar are examples of words imi- 



286 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tative of sounds. Our literature is full of such 
words. Not only was the motion of objects repre- 
sented by the sound of words, but the nature of the 
passions, soft or harsh, slow or rapid, were imitated 
by words and peculiar construction of sentences. 



THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE MAY BE STATED AS FOL- 
LOWS. 

Words must agree with the nature of the emotion. 
All passions of a violent nature are represented by 
sharp words and broken sentences. The aggressive 
and resistive emotions when passionate use sharp, 
cutting" words and abrupt, short sentences. The 
irascible and malign passions utter words that hiss, 
grind and cut like daggers. The love emotions are 
clothed in smooth, soft and tender words. The sub- 
lime emotions use elevated expressions. Languid 
emotions are expressed by long, drawling words, the 
animated by brisk, quick words. 

The violation of this principle leads to a number 
of faults in the expression of passion. 1. The words 
may be unsuited to express the nature of the passion. 
It would be wrong to express love with the harsh, 
cutting words of malign passion. 2. Commonplace 
words should never be used to represent sublime 
sentiments, and sublime words should never be em- 
ployed to represent a soft emotion. Smooth words 
and harmonious periods express the gentle stage ; 
strong words, abrupt and irregular sentences, the 
violent stages of an emotion. In the hurry of pas- 
sion a person only expresses the more prominent sen- 
timents and rapidly utters what is most at heart. 



CHAPTEE XII. 



THE INFLUENCE OF THE MENTAL STATES IN THE GENERAL 
CHARACTERISTICS OF ORATORICAL STYLE. 

The style of oratorical composition differs greatly 
from that of other literary productions. The choice 
of words and arrangement of sentences are made 
with a view to persuasion. Frequent appeals are 
made to the emotions and passions. The phraseology 
is striking and conversational, and the periods full 
of harmony and poetic cadence. An orator will have 
an animated, figurative, pathetic or vehement style, 
according to the kind and strength of the mental fac- 
ulties. In other words, the individual characteristics of 
temperament and brain development of an orator in- 
fluence his speech. One is harsh and abrupt, another 
easy and fluent, a third rapid and fervid. One glows 
with feeling, another is cool, calculated and argumen- 
tative. All our powers — physical, intellectual and mo- 
ral — are susceptible of change for the better. The 
musician by constant practice on his instrument gives 
to his fingers the most rapid accuracy of execution. 
The faculties of the mind may be cultivated to a high 
(287) 



_— ELOCUTION A>T> ORATORY. 

degree of excellence. An orator by care and attention 
can acquire a good style of composition. Objection- 
al characteristics may be pruned, and the graces of 
expression developed by careful practice in the selec- 
tion of suitable words and phraseology. We do not 
maintain that a man's individuality in expression can 
be learned by attending to the characteristics of elo- 
quence ; but his weak points may be modified and full 
vigor given to his natural endowment by a course of 
careful and liberal education in the art of expression. 
The true aim of oratorical cultivation is not to stifle 
natural powers but : them easy, vigorous and 

harmonious expression. In the oratorical, as well as 
in other arts, there is an ideal perfection to be striven 
after, and one means of the attainment of that ideal 
is cultivation. Natural powers will mould the style, 
education will improve these powers and awaken dor- 
mant on e - . ntion to the various elements of good 
composition develops discri m in ation. 

CHAEACTERISTK g .TOBICAL STUB. 

Doctor Blair defines eloquence as, " The art of 
king in such a manner as to attain the end for 
which we speak." This is a true definition, and 
places eloquence on a very high plane. Oratory 
does not signify a trick of speech, the art of varnish- 
ing weak arguments or oi speaking so as to please 
and tickle the ear. T : J y eloquent is to speak 

fcc the purpo-- .nnition of a perf ect ora- 

tor is : u Qui decundo, animos audientium et doc 
dele : - et permovet." That is, an orator aims to 
teach, please and persuade all in the same discourse. 
This is a still clearer definition than Dr. Blair's ; for 
it may be shown that speech which instructs or 
pleases gains its end and yet may not be eloquent. A 
teacher may aim to elucidate clearly the propositions 



THE MENTAL STATES. 289 

of Euclid and succeed, but still not move his pupils 
to action. There are many discourses which supply 
instruction and stop there, and though they gain 
their end, which was to impart information, we do 
not call them eloquent. What then is eloquence ? 
Eloquence is speech prompted by one or more of the 
mental states in vivid activity in the speaker, calcu- 
lated to excite to vivid activity the same mental 
states in the hearers. It follows from this definition 
that in order to be eloquent one must himself feel the 
emotion he wishes to convey. Eloquence, then, has 
as its principal element feeling or earnestness. Forms 
of expression which in a printed page would be re- 
garded as inelegant and unnecessary are imperatively 
required in oratory. All the subject-matter, even if 
thought out beforehand, should be submitted to the 
audience for their consideration as if occurring to the 
orator at the moment of speaking. This can be done 
by using conversational forms, "Let us consider this 
subject," "Do you think that we can abide tamely 
such a resolution ?" etc. 

DIRECT ADDRESS OR CONVERSATIONAL STYLE. - 

It is natural for a man under the influence of pas- 
sion to seek sympathy. An outlet must be obtained 
for the exhilarating or depressing condition which 
follows the passionate activity of the mental state - 
hence, if a companion is not present to hear our com- 
plaints, we utter them to inanimate objects or imagin- 
ary persons. The passions hold dialogues with each 
other. The wail that comes from a mother who has 
lost her child will burst forth even if no one is present 
to hear. Under the passion of anger men kick and 
destroy whatever stands in their way, even though 
they are not capable of doing them harm. Emotions 



290 ELOCUTION AND OKATORY. 

are not solitary, by their very nature they must speak 
out, hence when they prevail in oratory, they assume 
the form of direct address. 

EMOTIVE FORMS OF DIRECT ADDRESS. 

The common way of addressing an audience direct- 
ly is by employing words and phrases which indi- 
cate more than one. Such are " We will consider," 
" Let us make the best we can of ourselves." " You," 
or, " My friends," and " Brethren." Interrogation 
is one of the most efficient instruments of oratorical 
conversation. 

What ! shall one of us who struck the foremost man of all the 
world but for supporting robbers contaminate our fingers with 
base bribes, and sell the mighty space of our large honors for so 
much trash as may be grasped thus ? — Shakespeare. 

Who is the man that in addition to the mischiefs of the war ? 

Can gray hairs make folly venerable ? 

But when, O my countrymen, will you begin to exert your 
vigor ? Do you wait till roused by some dire event, till forced by 
necessity? What then, are we to think of our present condi- 
tions ? ... Or say is it your sole ambition to wander through 
the public places, each inquiring of the other " What news ?" Can 
anything be more new than that a man of Macedon should con- 
quer the Athenians and give laws to Greece? " Is Philip dead ?" 
" No, but he is sick." "Pray, what is it to you whether Philip is 
sick or not ?" 

Cicero's first oration against Catiline is full of the 
interrogative-conversational expression. Sometimes 
the orator puts a series of questions to his audience 
and then answers them himself. This is a very 
powerful form of direct address and may be employed 
very persuasively by the orator if he scans the faces 
of his listeners as if he found there the answer 
which he gives. 



THE MENTAL STATES. 291 

Is a man known to have received foreign money ? People envy 
him. Does he own it ? They laugh. Is he formally convicted ? 
They forgive him. — Demosthenes. 

With what possible intent could you have sent them? For 
peace ? But all had it. Well, then, for war ? But you your- 
selves were desirous of peace. — Demosthenes. 

The orator may keep up the style of direct address 
by consultation with his audience. 

What will you say now when the viceroy shakes hands with the 
populace and enfeoffs himself to the lowest popularity ? 

What would you advise if the English were over your borders ? 
Peace ? But then it would be too late, for bull-dogs in fight never 
let go their hold until they have drank freely of each other's blood. 

EMOTIYE-CONYEESATIONAL EXPKESSION. 

Command. — When a speaker is fully possessed with 
his subject and firmly convinced of the righteousness 
of his cause, he commands his hearers to obey. It 
may be mentioned here that such a passionate con- 
versational form can only be used when in the course 
of the speech the audience seem to realize the moral 
grandeur of the cause and are ready to embrace it. 

Awake, arise, or be forever fallen! — Send out more horses, 
scour the country round, hang those who talk of fear, give me 
mine armor. Summon one hundred horse by break of day, to 
wait our pleasure at the castle gate! — Arm! Arm — it is — it is the 
cannon's opening roar. — Strike down yon guard, gain the moun- 
tain passes, and there do bloody work as did your sires at old 
Thermopolse." 

Prohibition is a strong conversational expression, it 
is a negative command. 

Go home, if you dare, go home, if you can, to your constitu- 
ents and tell them that you voted it down. — Clay. 

Talk not to me of the glory of such a war ; its honors are 
enough to make the blood that flows in my veins turn icy cold. 

Tell me not of rights ; talk not of the property of the planter in 
his slaves. — Brougham. 



292 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Sometimes the orator manifests the intensity of his 
feeling by warning- or admonishing his hearers. It 
is very prevalent in sermons. The preacher, as the 
ambassador of God's love and wrath, is called upon 
to admonish his people frequently. 

You are standing on the brink of a precipice ; beware ! It 
will go forth to your judgment, if sentence shall go against the 
Queen. But it will be the only judgment you ever pronounced, 
which, instead of reaching its object, will return, and bound back 
upon those who gave it. — Brougham. 

Beware ! Oh ! beware of intoxicating drink ! Shun the places 
where such drink is sold as you would shun pollution. 

Do you think those yells will be forgotten ? Do you suppose 
their echo will not reach the plains of my injured and insulted 
country; that they will not be whispered in her green valleys, and 
heard from her lofty hills? Oh, they will be heard there! — yes, 
and they will not be forgotten. The youth of Ireland will bound 
with indignation, — they will say : "We are eight millions and you 
treat us thus, as though we were no more to your country than 
the Isle of Guernsey." — O'Connell. 

Reproach is a still higher emotive-conversational 
form, and implies an accusation against the hearers. 

O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome! Knew ye not 
Pompey ? 

Reproof. — Reprehension implies a still higher expres- 
sion of emotion. The speaker in a burst of passion 
directly accuses those addressed. 

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of 
a fool than of him. Arrogant mortal, thou dust before God! 

Invitation is common in religious oratory. It is a 
conversational form that implies kindly feeling. 

Come unto me, all ye that weary and are heavy laden and I 
will give you rest. 

A speaker who has a strong consciousness of the 
presence of his audience makes frequent appeals to 
them. 



THE MENTAL STATES. 293 

I put it to your oaths — do you think that a blessing of that kind, 
that a victory obtained by justice over bigotry and oppression- 
should have a stigma cast upon it by an ignominous sentence ? 

When the orator fears that an appeal may not suc- 
ceed he employs a stronger form of emotive-conver- 
sational expression — entreaty. 

My lords, I pray you to pause, I do earnestly beseech you to 
take heed. Save the country, my lords ; rescue that country of 
which you are the ornaments. Save that country that you may 
continue to adorn it ; save the crown which is in jeopardy ; the 
aristocracy, which is shaken ; save the altar which must stagger 
with the blow which rends the kindred throne. 

IN RELIGIOUS ORATORY ENTREATY BECOMES SUPPLICATION 
WHEN ADDRESSED TO GOD. 

You have tried human persuasion, you have bowed in the most 
abject humility before the throne of imperial power, and you have 
failed, utterly failed. Let us now band together, united, firm, and 
resolved to live freemen or to die. Go forth to battle supplicating 
only the throne of heaven. ; '0 God ! speed our mission and open 
unto us the gates of victory ! 

The orator may show that he is conscious of the 
presence of his audience in the expression of a de- 
sire. This form of emotive-conversation implies that 
the speaker considers his audience to be in sympathy 
with him and will gladly listen to expressions of his 
joy or sorrow. 

Oh, had his powerful destiny ordained me some inferior 
angel ! O ! that the slave had forty thousand lives my great 
revenge had stomach for them all. O! that this lovely vale 
were mine. 

Exhortation is a common emotive-conversational 
expression. 

Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more — 
Or close the wall up with our English dead. 



294 ELOCUTION AND OBATORY. 

Assertion is a still stronger form. 

Heaven and earth must witness, if Rome must fall, that we are 
innocent. 

We will fight it out upon this line if it takes all summer. 

Denial is the negative form of assertion. 

We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which 
the God of Nature has placed in our power. — Patrick Henry. 

They say it is I who have inspired them. No ! a thousand 
times, no ! It is they who have inspired me. 

Remonstrance is a passionate-conversational ex- 
pression. The speaker is thoroughly aroused and 
seeks to awaken like feeling in his hearers. 

Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle ? 
What is it that gentlemen wish ? What would they have ? Is life 
so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains 
and slavery ? Forbid it, Almighty Power." — Henry. 

The orator may address his hearers in the form of 
a protest. 

Against the bill I protest in the name of the Irish people and 
in the face of Heaven. I protest against the power granted 
to the Lord-Lieutenant to prevent meetings, no matter for what 
purpose they might be convened. All I ask for my country is 
justice. — D. CPConnell. 

An orator may vindicate or excuse his conduct 
before an audience. 

Are they Hebrews ? So am I. Are they Israelites ? So am I. 
Are they ministers of Christ ? I am more ; in labors more abun- 
dant. — St. Paul. 

Pardon me my emotion— the shadows of our martyrs passed before 
my eyes, I heard the millions of my native land once more shout- 
ing — " Liberty or death ! 



CHAPTEK XII. 



ORATORICAL STYLE. 

THE THREE GREAT DIVISIONS OF ORATORICAL STYLE : 

SIMPLE OR NORMAL, EMOTIONAL AND PASSIONAL. 

"We express those thoughts clearly and strongly 
which are clearly and vividly felt by the mind. 
Hence we may regard the different styles of expres- 
sion, energy, vivacity, simplicity, etc., as forms of ex- 
pression adapted to convey the various stages of ex- 
citement of the mental faculties. We have these 
three great divisions of style under which may be 
included sub-divisions. 

SIMPLE OR NORMAL STYLE. 

The mental states are in a transitional condition. 
The ideas, thoughts, etc., which they have received are 
regarded in the light of information, they have not 
yet kindled into emotive-activity. The desire is sim- 
ply to communicate knowledge, not to influence or per- 
suade. Hence the style of expression is commonplace, 
there is no attempt at embellishment, grammatical 
accuracy and clearness of expression are its principal 
(295) 



296 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

characteristics. It is the style best adapted to convey 
intellectual thought, abstract reasoning, enunciation 
of principles, statement of arguments, narration of 
facts and commonplace circumstances. In this style 
the orator may even pay some attention to the words 
and construction of sentences in presence of his audi- 
ence, for his object is merely to be understood ; he 
may, therefore, utter and retract them again if nec- 
essary for clearness of expression ; a procedure which, 
if employed in emotional and passional oratory would 
be fraught with ruin to his cause. The reason is ob- 
vious, for in order to persuade, the subject-matter of a 
discourse must not be grasped by the mind simply as 
matter of fact, but must have become so clear and 
vivid, that the emotive nature is kindled and the will 
influenced. We see then, that the first requisite to 
persuasive eloquence is the mastery of a simple or 
normal style, since the emotional nature which is 
all powerful in persuasion, cannot be awakened unless 
the mind has a clear and vivid grasp of the subject- 
matter. The orator who wishes to reach the highest 
stage of his art, must seek diligently after clearness 
of mental grasp — method and expression. When 
these are present, the foundation for a persuasive 
style is laid. 

The simple or normal style includes perspicuity in 
all its methods, simplicity, precision and purity as 
applied to words and their construction in sentences. 
It also includes all figures of speech, employed not 
for emotive effect, but to impart clearness to the 
thoughts. 

PERSPICUITY IN GENERAL ; CLEARNESS OF CONCEP- 
TION AND METHOD. 

Clearness of thought is absolutely necessary to 
clearness of expression. A speaker starts off well; 



ORATORICAL STYLE. 297 

he has a clear conception of what he wishes to say 
at the beginning, but his thoughts fail or he becomes 
entangled in the new direction his thought has 
taken, so different from what he expected for the 
occasion ; the excitement incidental to speaking be- 
fore an audience starts new trains of thought ; and 
in his endeavor to incorporate these new thoughts 
he gets embarassed and expresses himself in anoco- 
luthons, expletives or sentences which wander from 
the subject. Under such conditions a speaker's style 
of expression. will be loose, vague and unintelligible. 
The arguments will be presented in a disconnected 
and inconsequential manner with frequent repetitions. 

A newspaper, noting a death from drowning, says : 
" The coroner held an inquest concerning the death 
of Thomas Shipp, who was drowned the following 
night." A speaker in alluding to the death of a man 
at a riot said : " They fired two shots at him, the first 
shot killed him but the second was not fatal." An- 
other, speaking of a deaf man who was killed by a 
train said : " He was injured in the same way two 
years ago." 

The best way to cultivate clearness of conception 
is to consider beforehand every phase of the subject 
about to be discussed, and to imagine yourself al- 
ready before your audience speaking directly to 
them. In this way many thoughts and arguments, for 
and against your views, will be anticipated and when 
the occasion for speaking arrives will readily find ex- 
pression in words. 

But this is only one step toward perspicuity of style, 
for even where the speaker has the clearest possible 
conception of his subject, it by no means follows that 
his style will be perspicuous. The art of expression, 
for language is in a great measure artificial, must be 






298 ELOCUTION AND OEATORY. 

studied as well, and where this is neglected the most 
complete and acknowledged mastery of the subject 
will not prevent obscurity. However clear the ideas 
and sentences may be, unless the arrangement of the 
whole be perspicuous, the general impression left upon 
the mind will, after all, be vague and obscure. Hence 
the necessity of attending to the order of thought as 
well as to the clearness of conception. 

Conciseness or Brevity means the employment of no 
more words than are absolutely necessary. It is con- 
sistent with perspicuity when not carried too far. This 
characteristic of style has been summed up in the 
pithy adage, "Brevity is the soul of wit." 

Men walk as prophecies of the next age. You have committed 
to my conduct, O Romans, the war against Jugurtha. The Patri- 
cians are offended at this. " He has no family statues !" they ex. 
claim. He can point to no illustrious line of ancestors ! What 
then ? Will dead ancestors, will motionless statues fight your 
battles ?" 

Conciseness is a virtue in style when the words are 
sufficient, but when too few or not pregnant with 
meaning, obscurity is the result. Hence orators who 
are distinguished for this quality abound in obscure 
expressions. A sentence once uttered cannot be re- 
peated again ; and so if the meaning is not plain on 
account of poverty of words, elliptical forms of ex- 
pression or from insufficiently dwelling upon the 
thoughts at the moment of their utterance, the hearer 
becomes perplexed and unable to follow the argument, 
and thus conciseness kills persuasion and becomes 
one of the first faults in style. It is well to observe 
also that conciseness of style may arise from poverty 
of expression, barrenness of imagination, and dearth 
of thought. When a speaker has only one or 
two thoughts upon a subject he can be very 



OEATOEIOAL STYLE. 299 

brief. A few sentences will be sufficient. But 
when his mind surveys his subject in all its 
manifold aspects, when his intellect makes clear, 
sharp distinctions and uncovers hidden thoughts ; 
when his imagination carries these thoughts into 
unknown realms and colors them with concrete rather 
than abstract imagery; when his emotive nature 
catches fire and draws these conceptions within its 
furnace and sends them forth, vitalized, impregnated 
with the subtle, magnetic fluid of persuasion, he can- 
not be concise : " From the abundance of the heart 
the mouth speaketh." There may be conciseness of 
statement, brevity of language, but never poverty of 
style. The sentences may contain no more words 
than are necessary to convey accurately the sense, 
but there is imaginative and emotive meaning as well 
as thought, unless sentences are so constructed in 
arrangement and choice of words as to awaken the 
imagination and the emotions there can be no per- 
suasion. Hence for richness and splendor of imagery, 
profusion of illustration, amplitude of statement, mag- 
nificence and variety of diction, which are essential 
to persuasion, conciseness does not afford sufficient 
space. 

Diifuseness. — Sometimes perspicuity may be ob- 
tained by diffuseness,— the employment of a liberal 
number of words for the expression of ideas. When 
restrained within proper limits by a cultivated taste, 
it may lead to affluence of expression. When precis- 
ion is added to affluence of expression, the highest 
perspicuity is the result. For affluence of style 
Cicero, Macaulay, Edmund Burke, Thomas De 
Quincey, Chalmers, Dr. Guthrie and Farrar may be 
cited for examples. 

The city and republic of Carthage were destroyed by the ter- 



300 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

mination of the third Punic war, about one hundred and fifty years 
before Christ. The city was in flames during seventeen days ; and 
the news of its destruction caused the greatest joy at Rome. The 
Roman senate immediately appointed commissioners, not only to 
raze the walls of Carthage, but even to demolish and burn the very 
materials of which they were made; and, in a few days, that city, 
which had once been the seat of commerce, the model of magnifi- 
cence, the common storehouse of the wealth of nations, and one of 
the most powerful states in the world, left behind no trace of its 
splendor, of its power, or even of its existence. The history of 
Carthage is one of the many proofs that we have of the transient 
nature of worldly glory ; for, of all her grandeur not a wreck re- 
mains. Her own walls, like the calm ocean, that conceals forever 
the riches hid in its unsearchable abyss, now obscures all her mag- 
nificence. 

Diffuseness may be carried so far as to cause obscurity 
rather than clearness. Some persons are naturally 
fluent, and this fluency leads them into careless habits. 
They seldom take the pains to recast their sentences 
and prune away unnecessary words. They indulge 
in the excessive use of epithets, the enumeration of 
unnecessary circumstances and the tedious reiteration 
of the same thoughts in different words. 

Terbosity is the name applied to this style. 

Repetition may be advantageously employed to 
make the thought clear. The reiteration of the princi- 
pal thought in a sermon or lecture is often necessary. 
It may sometimes happen that the orator is anxious 
to persuade, but is unwilling or unable to discuss the 
subject directly, and therefore seeks to convey a gen- 
eral impression, which will advance his cause. This 
is often attempted by making a speech full of vague 
generalities, appeals to the prejudices of the hearers, 
or allusions to circumstances which will direct the 
mind into a different channel, away from the main 
point at issue. Sometimes the speaker resorts to as- 
sertion and declaration because such are often mis- 



CEATOEICAL STILE. 301 

taken by the multitude for sound argnment. At other 
times it may be his object to baffle and puzzle an op- 
ponent ; for this purpose special pleading and all the 
artifices of oratory are needed.] Verbosity, repetition, 
diffusiveness are the principal qualities in demand 
when it is necessary to " talk against time." 



CHAPTEE Xni. 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 

When the simple or normal style becomes emo- 
tional the expression assumes a like fervor. Thoughts, 
ideas, and words take on a peculiar glow ; sen- 
tences and periods leave their beaten track and 
follow unusual constructions. Figures of speech not 
only add clearness but beauty and splendor to ex- 
pression. Everything seems to shape itself with a view 
to persuasion. The emotional style is characterized 
by vivacity, animation, vividness, pathos, figures of 
speech, and we shall treat it under these divisions. 

Yivacity is essential to persuasion. It includes ani- 
mation, brilliancy, vividness and enthusiasm. Dull- 
ness and monotony are pall-bearers to eloquence ; 
when they prevail there can be no persuasion. Vi- 
vacity is opposed to both of these ; it rises from the 
lowest stage of liveliness to the highest enthusiasm, 
and makes use of every conceivable device to vary 
perpetually the form of statement. It is more rhetor- 
ical than energetic as it brings to its aid figures of 
speech and blends a profusion of imagery with ex- 
uberance of expression. Vivacity may exist in vari- 
(302) 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 303 

ous gradations from animation to rapturous enthu- 
siasm. 

Animation springs from the emotional or excite- 
mental state of the mental faculties. When an ora- 
tor is interested in his subject he becomes animated. 
His thoughts flow rapidly and express themselves 
fluently. New turns of thought and new expressions 
give life to his discourse and arrest the attention of 
his hearers. Variety of vocal intonation, sprightli- 
ness of gesture and expressive countenance are con- 
ducive to animation in delivery. 

Sometimes, with secure delight, 

The upland hamlets will invite, 

When the merry bells ring round, 

And the jocund rebecs sound, 

To many a youth and many a maid, 

Dancing in the checkered shade, 

When young and old come forth to play, 

On a sunshine holiday, 

Till the livelong daylight fail. 

—Milton. 

The air, the earth, the water, teem with delighted existence. In 
a spring noon, or a summer evening, on whichever side we turn 
our eyes, myriads of happy beings crowd upon our view. The 
insect youth are on the wing. Swarms of new-born flies are try- 
ing their pinions in the air. Their sportive motions, their gratui- 
tous activity, their continual change of place, without use or pur- 
pose, testify their joy, and the exultation which they feel in their 
lately discovered faculties. 

— Paley. 

Sometimes a speaker is so overcome by his feelings 
that he seems to abandon himself to his subject. 

I have been speaking of man and his nature, and of human dominion 
from what I have seen of them myself among nations reluctant of 
our authority. I know what they feel and how such feelings can 
alone be repressed. I have heard them in my youth from the 
naked savage, in the indignant character of a prince, surrounded 
by his subjects, addressing the governor of a British colony, hold- 



304 ELOCUTION AND ORATOET. 

ing a bundle of sticks in his hand, as the notes of his unlettered 
eloquence : " Who is it ?" said the jealous ruler of the desert en- 
croached upon by the restless foot of English adventures," who is it 
that causes to blow the loud winds of winter, and calms them 
again in the summer ? Who is it, that causes this river to rise in 
the mountains, and to empty itself in the ocean? Who is it that 
rears up the shade of the lofty oaks and blasts them with the quick 
lightnings at his pleasure? The same being who gave you a 
country on the other side of the waters, and gave ours to us ; and 
by this title we will defend it," said the warrior, throwing his 
tomahawk upon the ground and raising the war sonnd of his na- 
tion. These are the feelings of subjugated man all round the 
globe ; and depend upon it nothing but fear will control where it 
is vain to look for affection. 

— Erskine. 
The emotional nature may become so intense in the 
orator that his subject seems to get hold of him com- 
pletely, and he bursts forth in the language of enthu- 
siasm. 

There were travellers from foreign lands, ready with pleased heart 
to tell at home the thousand marvels they had gathered on their 
way. There was a family of mourners, taking to their household 
graves their unburied dead. And there was one at least of rare 
truth and wisdom, of designs than which philanthropy knows no- 
thing greater, of faith that all must venerate, and love that all must 
trust, of persuasive lips, from which a thoughtful genius and the 
simplest heart poured forth the true music of humanity. And does 
any one believe that this freight of transcendent worth — all this sor- 
row, and thought, and hope, and moral greatness, and pure affec- 
tion — was burned, and went out with flame and cotton smoke ? 
sooner would I believe that fire consumed the less everlasting stars. 
Such a galaxy of spiritual light and order and beauty is spread 
above the elements and their power, and neither heat can scorch it 
nor cold water drown. The bleak wind that swept in the morning 
over the black and heaving wreck would moan in the ear of sym- 
pathy with the wail of a thousand survivors, but to the ear of wis- 
dom and faith would sound as the returning whisper and requiem 
of hope. — Martineau's Argument from a Disaster at Sea. 

[I acknowledge the splendor of the scene of Thermopylae in all 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 305 

its aspects. I admit its mortality, too, and its useful influence on 
every Grecian heart, in that greatest crisis of Greece.] 

And yet, do you not think, that whoso could, by adequate de- 
scription, bring before you that winter of the Pilgrims, its brief 
sunshine, the nights of storm slow waning, the damp and icy 
breath, felt to the pillow of the dying; its destitutions, its contrast 
with all their former experience in life ; its insulation and loneli- 
ness, its death-beds and burials ; its memories ; its apprehensions ; 
its hopes ; the consultation of the prudent ; the prayers of the pious; 
the occasional cheerful hymn in which the strong heart threw off 
its burthen, and, asserting its unvanquished nature, went up like a 
bird of dawn, to the skies ; — do you not think that whoso could de- 
scribe them calmly waiting in that defile, lonelier and darker than 
Thermopylae, for a morning that might never dawn, or might show 
them, when it did, a mightier arm than the Persian, " raised as in 
act to strike," would sketch a scene of more difficult and rarer 
heroism." — Clioate. 

The emotional style is also characterized by bril- 
liancy of thought and diction. 

The church in which they were assembled, was hewn by God's 
hand, out of the eternal rocks. A river rolled its way through a 
mighty chasm of cliffs, several hundred feet high, of which the 
one side presented enormous masses, and the other corresponding 
recesses, as if the great stone girdle had been rent by a convulsion. 
The channel was overspread with prodigious fragments of rocks 
or large loose stones, some of them smooth and bare, others con_ 
taining soil and verdure in their rents and fissures, and here and 
there crowned with shrubs and trees. The eye could at once com- 
mand a long stretching vista, seemingly closed and shut up at both 
extremities, by the coalescing cliffs. 

This majestic reach of river contained pools, streams, rushing 
shelves, and waterfalls innumerable ; and when the water was low, 
which it now was in the common drought, it was easy to walk up 
this scene with the calm blue sky overhead, an utter and sublime 
solitude. On looking up, the soul was bowed down by the feeling 
of that prodigious height of unscalable and often overhanging 
cliffs. Between the channel and the summit of the far-extended 
precipices, were perpetually fiying rooks and wood-pigeons, and 
now and then a hawk, filling the profound abyss with his wild 
cawing, deep murmur, or shrilly shriek. 



306 ELOCUTION &ND ORATOEY. 

Sometimes a heron would stand erect and still on some little 
stone island, or rise up like a white cloud along the black walls of 
the chasm. aDd disappear. Winged creatures alone could inhabit 
this region. The fox and wild-cat chose more accessible haunts. 
Yet here came the persecuted Christians, and worshipped God, 
whose hand hung over their heads those magnificent pillars and 
arches, scooped out those galleries from the solid rock, and laid at 
their feet the calm watei in its transparent, beauty, in which they 
could see themselves sitting in reflected groups, with their Bibles 
in their hands. — Prof. Wilson. 

YMdness is the representation of facts or occurrences 
with such clearness and imaginative force that the 
scene is made to stand out, as real before the mind. 

To form an idea of Caesar's energy and activity, observe him when 
he is surpi ised by the Nervii. His soldiers are employed in pitch- 
ing their camp. The ferocious enemy sallies from his conceal- 
ment, puts the Roman cavalry to the rout, and falls upon the foot. 
Everything is alarm, confusion, and disorder. Every one is 
doubtful what course to take, — every one but Ceesar ! He causes 
the banner to be erected,— the charge to be sounded, — the soldiers 
at a distance to be recalled, — all in a moment. He runs from 
place to place ; — his whole frame is in action ; — his words, his 
looks, his motions, his gestures, exhort his men to remember their 
former valor. He draws them up, and causes the signal to be 
given, — all in a moment. The contest is doubtful and dreadful : 
two of his legions are entirely surrounded. He seizes a buckler 
from one of the private men, — puts himself at the head of his 
broken troops, — darts into the thick of the battle, — rescues his 
legions, and overthrows the enemy! — J. JS. Knowles. 

The emotional style is often characterized by forms 
of expression which contain great suggestiveness. 

It has all the contortions of the Sibyl without the inspiration . 

Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from 
principle. — Burke. 

Oh, liberty how many crimes are committed in thy name. — 
Madame Roland. 

I called the New World into existence to redress the balance of 
the Old. 

Kings may be blest but Tarn was glorious, 
O'er a' the ills of life victorious. — Burns. 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 307 

ILLUSTRATIONS ARE CONDUCIVE TO EMOTION. 

Oratorical speech is made persuasive by frequent 
illustrations of principles discussed. The speaker, in 
order to gain his cause, must make his meaning clear 
and his principles attractive. Nothing can be more 
effective for this purpose, than illustrations which 
may be drawn from example, allusion, quotation, 
metaphor ; and anecdote, if they follow the statement 
of general principles they not only make the expo- 
sition more clear but add conviction of the truth. 

Why shall all virtue work in one and the same way ? Why 
should all give dollars ? It is very inconvenient to us country folk, 
and we do not think that any good will come of it. We have not 
dollars. Merchants have. Let them give them. Farmers will 
give corn. Poets will sing. Women will sew. Laborers will lend 
a hand. The children will bring flowers. 

Allusion is a reference made to some familiar event 
in the past, or to some wise saying or proverb. 

All human beauty is but skin deep, and scarcely that. A little 
roughening of the cuticle will mar the fairest face, and change 
beauty to hideousness. What fearful irony leers upon us from 
the human skull. This was the head, this the divine counte- 
nance of some Helen, some Aspasia or Cleopatra ; some Agnes of 
Meran, or Mary of Scotland, on whose eyelids hung the destinies 
of nations, for whose lips the lords of the earth thought the world 
well lost. 

— Hodge. 

Comparison and Metaphor may awaken emotion. 

But oh ! scholar, as you stand upon the heights of your own city, 
made sacred to you by worlds of toil ; when the sun is sinking 
behind your Mount Tabor and darkness deep as the grave settles 
around you ; and you can no longer behold the gleaming minarets 
of your city ; when your eye has grown dim and the vital fluid you 
have been burning so long sinks down at last as the candle sinks 
in its socket, what help, what hope have you in this ? None ! 
Your theories are but bubbles which vanish at the fingers' touch ; 
your hypotheses are but glittering play-things, fragile as clay. If 
you have not made use of your knowledge to help on the cause of 



308 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

spiritual improvement then the light that has glimmered in your 
city is but the light of faint tapers, but borrowed beams checkering 
the gloom. 

Harmony in Style. — Eloquence characterized by 
harmony is very persuasive. The ear is a direct ave- 
nue to the heart. There are sounds which stir emo- 
tion. The passions express themselves in euphonious 
and rhythmical speech. The bards of ancient days 
narrated the deeds of heroes not in prosaic language 
but in measured speech. Oratory in its passionate 
form dons the garb of poetry. Success in oratory de- 
mands the closest attention to everything that renders 
discourse euphonious to the ear. Sounds difficult to 
utter must be mastered, and unpleasant sounds sup- 
pressed. A hissing s or strangling guttural may spoil 
the finest argument. Harmony includes euphony, 
rhythm and elegance. 

Heaven opened wide 

Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound. 

On golden hinges turning 

Anon out of the earth a fabric huge 

Rose like an exhalation, with the sound 

Of dulcet symphonies, and voices sweet, 

Built like a temple, where pilasters round 

Were set, and Doric pillars, overlaid 

With golden architrave ; nor did there want 

Cornice, or frieze, with bossy sculptures graven; 

The roof was fretted gold. Not Babylon, 

Nor great Alchiro, such magnificence 

Equalled in all their glories, to enshrine 

Belus, or Serapis, their gods ; or seat 

Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove 

In wealth and luxury. The ascending pile 

Stood fixed her stately height : and straight the doors 

Opening their brazen folds, discover wide 

Within, her ample spaces, o'er the smooth 

And level pavement : from the arched roof, 

Pendent by subtle magic, many a row 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 309 

Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed 
With naphtha and asphaltus, yielded light 
As from a sky. 

— Milton. 

The mystery of holy shrines lies deep in human nature. For 
however the more spiritual mind may be able to rise and soar, the 
common man during his mortal career is tethered to the globe, that 
is his appointed dwelling-place ; and the more his affections are 
pure and holy, the more they seem to blend with the outward and 
visible world. For men strongly moved by the Christian faith it 
was natural to yearn after the scenes of the Gospel narrative. In 
old times this feeling had strength to impel the chivalry of Europe 
to undertake the conquest of a barren and distant land ; and al- 
though in later days the aggregate faith of the nations grew chill, 
and Christendom no longer claimed with the sword, still there 
were always many who were willing to brave toil and danger for 
the sake of attaining to the actual and visible Zion. — Kinglake. 

Rhythm means a recurrence of sound at regular in- 
tervals, and was formerly applied to the movement of 
measured versification. The term has been extended 
so as to include certain kinds of prose. Many pas- 
sages in prose-literature exert an influence difficult 
to define, yet so powerful that they affect the emo- 
tional nature and cling to the memory. Oratory 
when reinforced by the potent aid of harmony cap- 
tivates the mind and charms the ear. Such oratory 
is characterized by two things : the sound of the in- 
dividual words and their arrangement with the recur- 
rence of pauses at such intervals as shall produce a 
certain harmonious rise and fall of tone. These con- 
stitute rhythm in oratory. Many passages in the 
Bible exhibit an unrivalled beauty of rhythm. 

Before the mountains were brought forth — or ever thou had'st 
formed the earth and the world — even from everlasting to ever- 
lasting thou art God. 

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the 
latter day upon the earth, and though worms destroy the body yet 
in my flesh shall I see God. 



310 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, 
or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at 
the cistern. 

The musical harmony which enlivens Milton's 
verse also adds magnificence and variety to his prose. 

Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation, rousing 
herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible 
locks ; methinks I see her as an eagle renewing her mighty youth 
and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam, purging 
and unsealing her long-abused sight at the fountain itself of 
heavenly radiance ; while the whole noise of timorous and flock- 
ing birds, with those also that love the twilight, flutter about 
amazed at what she means. 

About the time of the telescope's invention, another instrument 
was formed, which laid open a scene no less wonderful to reward 
the inquisitive spirit of man. This was the microscope. The one 
led me to see a system in every star ; the other leads me to see a 
world in every atom. The one taught me that this mighty globe, 
with the whole burden of its people and its countries, is but a 
grain of sand on the high field of immensity ; the other teaches me 
that every grain of sand may harbor within it the tribes and fam- 
ilies of a busy population. — Chalmers. 

So nearly is oratory allied to poetry, we may well 
say that they both have the same origin. Ideality is 
the faculty that invests poetry with charming sweet- 
ness and perfection of diction. Under its influence 
the poet arrays his ideas in the garb of music, as the 
most perfect and fitting for exalted sentiments. So 
the orator stirred by its influence utters his thoughts 
in language so perfect and musical that it charms 
the ear by its sound and awakens the emotional 
sensibilities of our nature. 

Conceive a man standing on the margin of this green world ; and 
that when he looked towards it, he saw abundance smiling upon 
every field, and all the blessings which earth can afford scattered 
in profusion throughout every family ; and to the light of the sun 
sweetly resting upon all the pleasant habitations, and the joys of 
human companionship brightening a happy circle of society ; and 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 311 

that on the other side, beyond the verge of that goodly planet he 
could descry nothing but a dark and fathomless unknown. Think 
you that he would bid a voluntary adieu ? But if during the time of 
this contemplation, some happy island of the blest had floated by, 
and there had burst upon his senses the light of its surpassing glories, 
and its sounds of sweeter melody ; and he clearly saw that there a 
clearer beauty rested upon every field, and a more heart-felt joy 
spread itself among all the families ; and he could discern there a 
peace and a piety and a benevolence, which put moral gladness 
into every bosom, and united the whole society in one rejoicing 
sympathy with each other and with the beneficent father of them 
all. Could he farther see that pain and mortality were there un- 
known and above all, that signals of welcome were hung out, 
and an avenue of communication was made for him ; perceive you 
not that what was before the wilderness would become the land of 
invitation and that now the world would become the wilderness. 
What unpeopled space could not do, can be done by space teem- 
ing with beatific scenes and beatific society. And let the existing 
tendencies of the heart be what they may to the scene that is near 
and visible around us, still, if another stood revealed to the pros- 
pect of man, either through the channel of faith or the channel of 
his senses, then without violence done to the constitution of his 
moral nature, may he die unto the present world and live to the 
holier that stands in the distance away from it. — Chalmers. 

In the emotional style the faculties are in an excite- 
mental state and are seeking* for the means to keep up 
that state or awaken the next higher — the passional- 
Figures of speech and ornamental language which 
tend to awaken emotion are not only appropriate but 
necessary in order to advance the emotional to the 
passional state. An orator can keep up an emotional 
style and not weary his audience ; but a passional 
style on account of its very vehemence cannot last 
long. The emotional style should, therefore, be the 
most prevalent in a discourse. An orator who can 
excite and sustain in activity the emotional sensibili- 
ties of his audience will never fail to be interesting, 
and when necessary, can easily inflame the passions 



312 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

and thus impel them into action. But if he never gets 
beyond the normal style of eloquence, pei suasion will 
be well-nigh impossible. 

Word-painting signifies the portrayal of a scene 
with vividness. To present scenes and events in this 
living way demands a rare combination of the very 
highest faculties of the human mind. It requires the 
imagination of the poet, the discriminating genius of 
the artist, a profound knowledge of the details of hu- 
man character, an ear for harmony and a marvellous 
power of execution. Sir Walter Scott's " Trial of 
Erne Deans," and Macaulay's " Trial of Warren Hast- 
ings" are well-known examples. 

But, after a few jests and oaths, the soldiers stood still, eyeing 
with a kind of mysterious dread the black and silent walls of the 
rock that hemmed them in, and hearing only the small voice of 
the stream that sent a profounder stillness through the heart of 
that majestic solitude. " Curse these cowardly covenanters — 
what, if they tumble down upon our heads pieces of rock from 
their hiding-places ? Advance ? Or retreat?" 

There was no reply. For a slight fear was upon ever> man ; 
musket or bayonet could be of little use to men obliged to clamber 
up rocks, along slender paths, leading, they knew not where ; and 
they were aware that armed men now-a-days, worshipped God, — 
men of iron hearts, who feared not the glitter of the soldier's 
arms- -neither barrel nor bayonet— men of long stride, firm step, 
and broad breast, who, on the open field, would have overthrown 
the marshalled line, and gone first and foremost, if a city had to 
be taken by storm. 

As the soldiers were standing together irresolute, a noise came 
upon their ears like distant thunder, but even more appalling ; and 
a slight current of air, as if propelled by it, passed whispering 
along the sweet-briers, and the broom, and the tresses of the birch 
trees. It came deepening, and rolling, and roaring on, and the 
very Cartland Craigs shook to their foundations as if in an earth- 
quake. ' ' The Lord have mercy upon us— what is this ?" And 
down fell many of the miserable wretches on their knees, and 
some on their faces, upon the sharp-pointed rocks. Now, it was 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 313 

like the sound of many myriads of chariots rolling on their iron 
axles down the stony channel of the torrent. 

The old gray-haired minister issued from the mouth of Wallace's 
Cave, and said, with a loud voice, ' ' The Lord God terrible reign- 
eth." A water-spout had burst up among the moorlands, and the 
river in its power, was at hand. There it came, tumbling along 
into that long reach of cliffs, and in a moment filled it with one 
mass of waves. Huge, agitated clouds of foam ride on the sur- 
face of a blood-red torrent. An army must have been swept off 
by that flood. The soldiers perished in a moment ; but high up in 
the cliffs, above the sweep of destruction, were the covenanters — 
men, women, and children, uttering prayers to God, unheard by 
themselves, in that raging thunder. — Prof. Wilson. 

Word-painting also implies onomatopoeia and all 
figures of speech which imitate the sound, motions 
or nature of things. Certain sounds and motions 
readily affect our emotional nature, and if these can 
be represented by words, the effect of speech on our 
emotional sensibilities will be more powerful, since 
an appeal is thus made to all our senses, sight, hear- 
ing and mental perception. This harmonious com- 
bination is more often found in poetry than in oratory. 
A most perfect example of word-painting by musical 
sounds is the " Bugle Song " of Tennyson. 

FIGURES OF SPEECH ARE EMOTIONAL. 

The mental states when emotionally active express 
themselves in figures of speech. Exclamation, inter- 
rogation and hyperbole are purely emotional and 
passional forms of speech. 

Look there, O man of woman born. The bloom of that fair 
face is wasted. 
Would God it were night or Blucher. 

Me miserable ! which way shall I fly 
Infinite wrath and infinite despair ? 

A heroic Wallace quartered on the scaffold cannot hinder that 
his Scotland become one day part of England, but he does hinder 



314 ' ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

that it become on tyrannous terms a part of it. Light on, thou 
brave, true heart, and falter not through fortune and through 
blight. 

O, thou that rollest above round like the shield of my fathers ! 

How much blood and treasure must be wasted before such a 
war will end ? Yea, how many of our brave soldiers must perish 
beneath an Indian sun and an unfriendly sky ? Suppose success 
should dawn upon our arms, what profit will it be to us to have 
added a few rods more of land to our already too extensive and 
widely-scattered domain, if our people groan at home under a 
heavy debt, and our brave soldiers lie buried in foreign graves ? 
I know not what you desire, but night and day I cry, "O, God for- 
bid this war !" 

FIGURES OF RELATIVITY KINDLE EMOTION. 

The following description of the varied powers of 
the steam engine illustrates how the figures of antith- 
esis can kindle emotion. 

It can engrave a seal and crush masses of obdurate metal, draw 
out without breaking, a thread as fine as gossamer, and lift a ship 
of war like a bauble in the air. It can embroider muslin and 
forge anchors; cut steel into ribbons, and impel loaded vessels 
against the fury of winds and waves. 

Proverbs are figures of relativity and brighter 
emotions : 

Out of sight out of mind. 
Man proposes, God disposes. 

But such figures readily pass to the passional style. 

Deliver up your arms! Come and take them. Our arrows 
darken the sun. Then we will fight in the shade. You will all be 
slain. Then to-night we will sup with Pluto. 

Emotional eloquence often abounds in parallel 
figures, especially sacred oratory. 

Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle- 
Who shall walk upon thy holy hill ! 

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth 
his handiwork. 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 315 

Let the spot be purified, or let it cease to be New England. Let 
it be purified, or let it be set aside from the Christian world ; let it 
be put out of the circle of human sympathies and human records, 
and let civilized man henceforth have no communion with it. — 
Daniel Webster. 

But, my lords, who is the man that has dared to associate to our 
arms the tomahawk and scalping-knife of the savage — to call into 
civilized alliance the wild and inhuman inhabitant of the woods — 
to delegate to the merciless Indian the defence of disputed rights, 
and to wage the horrors of this barbarous war against our brethren. 
— ChatTiam. 



FIGURES OF COMPARISON, ANALOGY, METAPHOR AND 
ALLEGORY AWAKEN EMOTION. 

Thou art like snow on the heath ; thy hair like the mist of 
Cromla, when it curls on the rocks and shines to the beam of the 
West ; thy breasts are like two smooth rocks seen from Branno of 
the streams ; thy arms like two white pillars in the hall of mighty 
Fingal. — Ossian. 

Apostrophe, invocation and vision are figures sug- 
gested by emotional and passional activity of the 
mental states. 

Apostrophe. 

I found Ireland on her knees. I watched over her with an 
eternal solicitude, and have traced her progress from injuries to 
arms, and from arms to liberty. Spirit of Swift ! Spirit of Moly- 
neux ! Your genius has prevailed. Ireland is now awakening — in 
that new character, I hail her ! — Orattan. 

Vision. 

With breathless suspense every one awaits the bursting of the 
wave upon the Gallic rock, but ere they come within another nun, 
dred and fifty yards another deadly volley flashes from the levelled 
rifles and carries death and terror to the Russians. — Russel. 

I see before me the slaughtered heaps of citizens lying unburied 
in the midst of their ruined country. — Cicero. 



316 ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 

EPITHETS ARE ALSO CHARACTERISTIC OF THE EMO- 
TIONAL STYLE. 

Whatever his Grace may think of himself, they look upon him, 
and everything that belongs to him, with no more regard than they 
do upon the whiskers of that little long-tailed animal that has 
been long the game of the grave, demure, insidious, spring-nailed, 
velvet-pawed, green-eyed philosopher, whether going upon two 
legs or upon four. — Burke. 

O, these secret wine-bibbers, these green-room drug-drinkers, 
these fawning, equivocating, champions of righteousness. 
Amplification. 

Observing the wide and general devastation, and all the horrors 
of the scene — of plains unclothed and brown; of vegetables 
burned up and extinguished; of villages depopulated and in 
ruins ; of temples unroofed and perishing ; of reservoirs broken 
down and dry — he would naturally inquire what war has thus laid 
waste the fertile fields of this once beautiful and opulent country. 
— Sheridan. 

The blood of England, Ireland, and of Scotland flowed in the 
same stream and drenched the same field. — 87ml. 

Climax. 

And besides this, giving all diligence add to your faith virtue ; 
and to virtue knowledge ; and to knowledge temperance ; and to 
temperance patience ; and to patience godliness ; and to godliness 
brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kindness charity. — St. Paul. 

It was evening when a courier brought to the magistrates the 
news of the surprise of Elaten. Immediately they arose, though 
in the midst of their repast. Some of them hurried away to the 
Agora, and driving the tradesmen out, set fire to the booths. 
Others fled to apprise the commanders of the army of the news, 
and to summon the public herald. The whole city was full of 
tumult. — Demosthenes. 

Pathos. — As the orator aims at persuasion he must 
address the feelings directly If his cause is a right- 
eous one, he can freely appeal to the conscientious 
emotions. If he speakes as an ambassador of God, 
the reverential and spiritual group will render him 
good assistance. It may be that his schemes are phil- 



EMOTIONAL STYLE. 317 

anthropic, then he can freely appeal to benevolence 
and the humanity -loving emotions. Ideality should 
always be present to add to the emotional persuasive- 
ness of his style. 

It was in love to man that this wondrous dispensation was 
framed. It was kindness, honest, heartfelt, compassionate kind- 
ness, that formed the moving principle of the embassy from heaven 
to our world. We protest by the meekness and the gentleness of 
Christ, by the tears of Him who wept at Lazarus' tomb, and over 
the approaching ruin of Jerusalem, by every word of blessing 
that he uttered, by every footstep of this wondrous visitor over 
the surface of a land, on which he went about doing good con- 
tinually — we protest in the name of all these unequivocal de- 
monstrations, that they do him injustice who propound his mes- 
sage in any other way than as a message of friendship to our 
species, He came not to condemn, but to save ; not to destroy, 
but to keep alive. And he is the fittest bearer, he is the best in- 
terpreter of these overtures from above, who urges them upon 
men not with wrath and clamor and controversial bitterness but 
in the spirit of that wisdom which is gentle and easy to be en- 
treated. — Dr. Chalmers. 

Animated with all the avarice of age and all the impetuosity of 
youth they (the English) roll in one after another, wave after wave, 
and there is nothing before the eyes of the natives but an endless, 
hopeless, prospect of new flights of birds of prey and passage, 
with appetites continually renewing for food that is continually 
wasting. There the manufacturer and the husbandman will bless 
the punctual hand that in India has torn the cloth from the loom, 
or wrested the scanty portion of rice and salt from the peasant of 
Bengal, or wrung from him the very opium in which he forgot 
his oppressions and oppressor. You hurt those who are able to 
return kindness and resent injury, while you save those who can- 
not so much as give you thanks. All those things show the diffi- 
culty of the work, but they show the necessity too. — Burke. 



CHAPTEE XIV. 



PASSIONAL OR VEHEMENTAL STYLE. 

The highest eloquence is born of passion. Is there 
any deed of progress, or heroism, any event in history, 
any glorious achievement, any religion spread, any 
truth promulgated, any life sacrificed for God and man, 
where passion has not been the motive power ? Look 
on fields of battle, at your Bannockburn, your Water- 
loo : passion shed the blood of the warriors, passion 
bound up their wounds, and passion gained the victo- 
ries. Look at the world's empires, their glory and 
supremacy : passion raised them, passion welded them 
together. The passions of love, glory, honor, patri- 
otism, humanity, pride of nationality, liberty and he- 
roism will rule the world ; as long as man breathes, 
passion will be the motive power of his actions. The 
orator may make men wiser by argument, may even 
convince their understanding ; he may move them 
to tears, sorrow and despair by appeals to their emo- 
tional nature ; he may dazzle their minds by vivid 
imagery and splendid diction, and all the wondrous 
embellishments of the imagination, but he may fail 
to win their hearts, to conquer their wills and force 
(318) 



PASSIONAL STYLE. 319 

them into action. This is the work of the passions. 
When a man is passionately in love with a cause, he 
will work for that cause. Passion dwells in the inner 
sanctuary of the human heart, there she has her altars 
and there she burns the holy fire that flames into 
deeds. When eloquence assaults the human heart 
her mission ends ; she can do no more, there are no 
other means of persuasion. 

THE PASSIONAL STYLE IS CHARACTERIZED BY ENERGY AND 
VEHEMENCE. 

Energy in style is strength of expression. Other 
terms are sometimes used as synonymous with ener- 
gy. Such are simplicity, precision, force, vehemence. 

Simplicity. — The strongest words are often the sim- 
plest. Saxon words are stronger than Latin deriva- 
tives ; " to die," is stronger than " to expire ;" " to 
live" than "to exist ! " Simple words because of their 
familiar use are so clear that their meaning flashes at 
once upon the mind. They have a sort of condensed 
energy. Plain Saxon words are expressive of strong 
feelings and never fail to excite passion, and on that 
account are conducive to energy. Shakespeare chose 
Saxon words rather than Latin derivatives. 

Aye, there's the rub. Oh, my offence is rank, it smells to 
heaven. That which has made them drunk has made me hold. 

The force of simple speech is seen in proverbs and 
old saws, and in the sayings of great men : 

England expects every man to do his duty. — Nelson. 

Let Paris fry in her own fat. — Bismarck. 

Of these two propositions I shall give such damaging proof that, 
however the contrary may be whispered in circles or bawled in the 
newspapers, they never more will dare to raise their voices in this 
house. 

They wait until Carnot shall have snorted away the fumes of 
the undigested blood of his sovereign. — Burke. 



320 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Precision is essential to energy. By this quality 
the orator is enabled to say exactly what he means. 
" The right word in the right place." Precision may 
be denned as the choice of the best possible word, 
so as to express the idea with the greatest possible 
accuracy. The definite is stronger than the indefi- 
nite, and the concrete than the abstract. It saves 
the hearers' mental energy to use definite or specific 
rather than indefinite or generic terms. We think in 
particulars more clearly than in generals. We can 
call up a picture composed of individual objects 
more readily than one made up of abstract qualities. 

In proportion as men delight in battles, tourneys, bull-fights and 
combats of gladiators, will they punish by hanging, beheading, 
burning and the rack. In proportion as the manners, customs 
and amusements of a nation are cruel and barbarous, the regula- 
tions of their penal code will be severe. 

The Highland gentleman who a century ago lived by taking 
blackmail from his neighbor, committed the same crime for 
which Wild was accompanied to Newgate by the huzzas of two 
hundred thousand people. 

The energy of the last expression can easily be 
weakened by the substitution of the general term : 
" The Highland chiefs committed with impunity the 
same crimes for which English highwaymen were 
executed." The energy of proverbs is due to the use 
of definite words. " Touch me and I bite ;" "A cat 
in gloves catches no mice ;" "Penny wise and pound 
foolish." The concrete is more energetic than the 
abstract, because abstract terms are grasped with 
difficulty by the mind but the concrete tells its own 
story. The concrete suggests a picture, the abstract 
a vague outline. The orator should put Solomon, for 
wisdom, Samson, for strength, Macbeth, for ambition, 
and Othello for jealousy. Sermons are dull because 
they deal with abstract themes. The great preachers 



PASSIONAL STYLE. 321 

are direct, not general. Like Solomon tliey say : 

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope 
of a fool than of him ; 
or, like Nathan to David, 

Thou art the man. 
- The greatest preacher the world has known, said : 

I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for 
the sheep. 

Demonstrative words contribute to energy. 

That tongue of his that bade the Romans mark him. 

Some words point out a thing with great force. 

Yonder comes the powerful king of day. 

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods. 

Yon Cassius has a thin and hungry look. 

Hard by yon wood. 

Behold I have a weapon. 

There burst the smothered flame. 

The Niobe of nations — there she stands. Childless and crown- 
less ! 

Proper names are more definite than general. 

When I rest in perfect humility, when I burn in pure love, what 
can Calvin or Swedenborg say more. — Emerson. 

Here the names Calvin and Swedenborg represent 
different schools of theologj r . Macaulay renders his 
style energetic by the use of proper names. 

The church of Rome was great and respected before the Saxon 
had set foot in Britain, before the Frank had passed the Rhine, 
when Grecian eloquence still nourished at Antioch, when idols 
were still worshipped at the temple of Mecca ; and she may still 
exist in undiminished vigor when some traveller from New Zea- 
land shall, in the midst of a vast solitude, take his stand on a 
broken arch of London Bridge to sketch the ruins of St. Paul's. 

Brevity is another requisite to energy. The Spar- 
tans were famous for their energetic brevity of 
speech. The style of Thucydides, Tacitus and Dante 
illustrate the principle of energetic brevity. 



822 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

They make a solitude and call it peace. Is the enemy rich, they 
are avaricious ? Is he poor, they are ambitious. The East and 
the West are unable to satiate their desires, wealth and poverty 
are alike coveted by their rapacity. 

To woman it is given to weep, to man to remember. 

I made a gibbet for myself within my own dwelling. 

Content with deserving a triumph, he refused the honor of one. 

Nothing is more beneficial to a state than a healthy and vigilant 
public spirit. 

In the following sentence a self-evident proposi- 
tion is expressed with unrivalled wordiness : 

He that willingly suiters the corrosions of inveterate hatred, 
and gives up his days and nights to the gloom and malice and pertur- 
bations of vtratagern, cannot surely be said to consult his ease. 

The orator must remember not to carry brevity 
too far. The words of a speech when uttered, if lost, 
can never be recovered by the hearer, but if repeti- 
tion or synonyomous words follow, the thought may- 
still be gathered. Concise sentences should be care- 
fully delivered, for a single word lost may destroy 
the meaning. Orators who are concise of speech 
should deliver their sentences slowly and with marked 
emphasis, that the mind may have time to grasp the 
thought. Diffuse orators on the other hand may 
employ with effect a rapid delivery, since if some of 
the words are lost, their synonyms remain. 

Vehemence. — "When the passions have reached the 
climax of their activity they express themselves in 
sudden outbursts of feeling. The words are harsh and 
the sentences disrobed of all connectives and useless 
words. This forcible style is called vehemence. The 
speeches of Demosthenes and Chatham abound in 
examples of this style. The Hebrew Scriptures and 
the poetry of Shakespeare and Milton since they de- 
scribe sublime and heroic scenes and the passions of 



PASSIONAL STYLE. 323 

men are characterized by vehemence of style : "The 
foremost man of all the world ;" "A deed without a 
name;" "The deep damnation of his taking-off ; " 
" That which has made them drunk has made me 
bold ; " " Thrilling regions of thick -ribbed ice ; " 
" Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell ;" " Tears such 
as angel's weep ; " "A shout that tore hills concave ;" 
"Infinite wrath and infinite despair;" " Millions of 
spirits for his crime immersed in endless ruin." 

We are told by Mr. Dundas that there is no eagerness for reform. 
Five minutes before Moses struck the rock this gentleman would 
have said there was no eagerness for water. — Sydney Smith. 

AN EPIGRAMMATIC STYLE CONTRIBUTES TO 
VEHEMENCE. 

Boston State-house is the hub of the solar universe. You 
couldn't pry that out of a Boston man if you had the tire of all 
creation straightened out for a crow-bar. — Oliver Wendell Holmes. 

He smote the rock of the national resources and abundant 
streams of revenue gushed forth. He touched the dead corpse of 
public credit, and it sprang upon its feet. — Webster. 

Sometimes vehemence expresses itself in sugges- 
tions of scenes rather than description. 

I was going to awake your justice towards this unhappy part of 
our fellow-citizens by bringing before you some of the circum- 
stances of the plague of hunger. Of all the calamities which beset 
and waylay the life of man, this is one which comes the nearest 
to our heart, and in which the proudest of us all feels himself to 
be nothing more than he is— but I find myself unable to manage 
it with decorum. These details are of a species of horror so nau- 
seous and disgusting : they are so degrading to the sufferers and 
the hearers ; they are so humiliating to human nature itself, that 
in better thoughts I find it advisable to throw a pall over this hide- 
ous object and to leave it to your general conceptions. — Burke. 

The resistive and aggressive passions impart in- 
tensity and force to expression. 



324 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

THE RESISTIVE, PRECAUTIONARY, AND PROPHETIC PASSIONS 
ALSO ADD VIGOR TO EXPRESSION. 

Let them not rely on their Czar. His hour will also come. The 
millions of Russia cannot be doomed to be nothing else than 
blind instruments of a single mortal's despotic whims. Humanity 
has a nobler destiny than to be the footstool to the ambition of 
some families. The destiny of mankind is freedom, sir, and the 
sun of freedom will rise over Russia also ; and in the number of 
liberated nations who will raise the song of thanksgiving to God, 
not even the Russian will fail. — Kossuth. 

A great and glorious race is open before us ; you have it in 
your power to make your names go down to posterity with the 
fame of more useful importance attached to them than any parlia- 
ment that ever preceded you. You have seen the greatest victor 
of the age, the conqueror of Italy and Germany, who, having 
achieved triumphs more transcendent than any upon record, said : I 
11 shall go down to posterity with the code in my hand." You have 
beaten that warrior in the field, — try to rival him in the more useful 
arts of peace. The glories of the regency, gorgeous and brilliant 
as they were, will be eclipsed by the milder and more beneficent 
splendor of the king. It was said by Augustine that Justinian 
found Rome of brick and left it of marble— an honorable boast, and 
one which veiled many of the cruel acts of his early course ; but 
how much higher and prouder would be the boast of our king, to 
have it said, that he found law dear and left it cheap ; that he 
found it a sealed book and left it in an open letter ; that he found 
it the patrimony of the rich and left it to the security of the poor ; 
that he found it a two-edged sword in the hands of the powerful 
and left it a staff for the comfort of the feeble and friendless. 

Sudden outbursts of feeling add conviction and 
persuasion to an orator's appeal. Such outbursts 
are natural when an orator is intensely interested in 
his theme and desires with all his heart that his 
hearers should embrace his cause. Demosthenes 
often gives way to such outbursts ; most famous is 
the oft-quoted passage where he swears by those 
who risked their lives for their country on the field 
of Marathon. Erskine makes good use of such out- 



PASSIONAL STYLE. 325 

bursts in his appeals to the jury. Thus, while speak- 
ing in behalf of Lord George Gordon, he seems in 
one place to lose all self-control and exclaims : 

I say, by God, that man is a ruffian who shall after this presume 
to build upon such honest, artless conduct as an evidence of 
guilt. 

Again the same orator in defence of Hardy gives 
way to an outburst of passionate pity for the misfor- 
tunes of his client. 

The question must return at last to what you and you only can 
resolve. Is he guilty of that base and detestable intention to de- 
stroy the king ? If you can say this upon the evidence it is your 
duty to say so, and you may with a tranquil conscience return to 
your families ; though by your judgment the unhappy object of it 
must no more return to his. Alas ! gentlemen, what do I say ? 
He has no family to return to. The affectionate partner of his 
life has already fallen a victim to the surprise and horror which at- 
tends the scene now transacting. But let that melancholy reflec- 
tion pass. 

The speaker, however, must never let his passion 
get the control of him. After any outburst of feeling 
he should immediately return to his subject. An 
excellent example occurs in Erskine's speech on Stock- 
dale, alluding to the trial of Warren Hastings. 

Shall it be endured that a subject of this country may be im- 
peached for the transactions of twenty years ? That the accusation 
shall spread as wide as the region of letters ? That the accused 
shall stand day after day and year after year as a spectacle before 
the public, which shall be kept in a state of perpetual information 
against him, that he shall not, without the severest penalties, be 
permitted to submit anything to the judgment of mankind in his 
defence ? If this be the law (which it is for you to decide), such a 
man has no trial. That great hall built by our fathers for English 
justice is no longer a court but an altar, and an Englishman in- 
stead of being judged in it by God and his country is a victim 
and a sacrifice. 

Words are harsh or musical ; sentences abrupt or 



326 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

smooth flowing according to the nature of the passion. 
Varieties of style arise from the different degrees of 
mental excitement. The simple or normal style iias 
its origin in the simple or normal excitement of any 
faculty. Faults of style arise when the mental states 
are not truly expressed. The words and construction 
may be too weak or too strong for the thought or emo- 
tion intended to be conveyed, or they may not be 
suitable for the thought or passion. A weak, rapid 
style arises when the language and construction are 
inadequate to express the mental emotion or passion. 
A bombastic or inflated style is the result of expres- 
sing commonplace mental conditions in the strong lan- 
guage of powerful passions. A florid style arises when 
the speaker endeavors to be constantly eloquent about 
everything, forgetting that eloquence is the result of 
feeling and that it is in vain to lash one's self into a pas- 
sion, when the thoughts, ideas, circumstances or oc- 
casions are incapable of awakening emotion or feeling. 
When a speaker feigns enthusiasm he seeks the most 
stilted words to express the most trifling thoughts. 
Some speakers are forever on the wing, soaring aloft 
like the eagle in the region of the intellectual as well 
the poetical zone, in the domain of cold, dry abstract 
truths as well as in the domain of intense emotion 
and passion. The hysterical style is full of excite- 
ment and wild extravagance. Some speakers have a 
gushing style which is wild, extravagant and full of 
feigned enthusiasm ; a style which kills all true emo- 
tions since it expresses nothing but the self-impor- 
tance of the speaker, whereas genuine feeling prompts 
to self-forgetfulness. But what shall be said of the 
pretentious style which expresses plain facts and 
commonplace ideas in the longest possible words. 
Where the houses are never " destroyed by fire " but 



PASSIONAL STYLE. 327 

by " disastrous conflagrations." A man does not 
" fall from a building," but " the indiyidual was pre- 
cipitated from the edifice." Crowds do not " cry," but 
" an immense concourse of people utter vociferations." 
His arguments are ad hominem, and his opinion sui 
generis. When he cannot find a verb large enough to 
express his meaning he converts a pompous noun 
into a verb. He is not "the chairman of a com- 
mittee " but, "he chairmanned a committee." 

There are some speakers who seek to win the lower 
class of their audience by the use of slang. Words 
gathered from the slums of vice, gambling-houses, 
skating-rinks, and bar-rooms. Every society, clique, 
or association of men have their pet phrases which 
have a vulgar meaning. The orator should avoid 
common or hackneyed epithets although they mean 
nothing disgracful, but because they have had their 
edges blunted by too frequent use, such epithets are 
glorious, immortal, fine, grand. With some speakers 
all is fine, " a fine landscape," " a fine woman," " a fine 
poem," "a glorious flag " "a glorious poem," glorious 
principles," " immortal verse," " immortal cause," 
" immortal stars and stripes," " grand play," " grand 
music," " grand speaking." 

Equally unpersuasive are cant phrases as, " free 
and enlightened citizens," " great and glorious coun- 
try," ''liberty, fraternity, and equality," "a man and a 
brother," " the birthright of an Englishman." Frigid, 
bald and vapid styles arise from want of sympathy, 
feeling and lively or impressive thoughts. A monot- 
onous style arises from the endeavor to speak after 
some model or idea of perfection. There is no uni- 
form style, phrases and words mist fall into the 
order which the mental states demand. It is unnat- 
ural to keep up a periodic or harmonious construe- 



328 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tion for any length of time, for the passions as we 
have already seen are antagonistic to harmony of 
structure and periodic elegance. They blaze at 
times like a tropical forest ; some are sharp as a 
razor or blunt as a file ; some speak in periods, some 
in short, sharp sentences ; some utter exclamations, 
interrogations and apostrophes, others have languid 
and feeble utterance. The best style is that which 
adapts its expression to the changes of thought and 
feeling. Now calm and unimpassioned when the 
thought is common or intellectual ; then animated 
and magnificent when the mental states are emo- 
tionally or passionally active. An orator should 
never imitate Addison, Johnson, Carlyle or Macau- 
lay, but develop his own style. He may improve his 
own style by studying others. Let him seek to enter 
into the spirit of his subject, to feel pathos, to under- 
stand thought at the moment of utterance. Let him 
cultivate his expressional powers to be ready on all 
occasions to supply the right word and construction 
for the active mental state, and instead of uniformity 
there will be persuasive variety. The perfect orator 
will express himself in a style that corresponds with 
every shade of thought and emotion. His language 
will be ornate, figurative and poetic, bald, plain and 
unimpressive as the thought and sentiment demands. 
The structure of his sentences will be periodic, cli- 
matic, harmonious, short, concise, precise, abrupt, ir- 
regular, inverted or direct as the mental states sug- 
gest. From this mode of expression naturally re- 
sponding to his state of feeling, there will flow a 
true, manly and persuasive eloquence that will never 
fail to persuade the hearts of men. 

From the principle that the expressional resembles 
the mental, what we have said about word-language 



PASSIONAL STATE 329 

also applies to the delivery of these words. An ora- 
tor may come before an audience with a discourse full 
of poetry and emotion, but if his voice and gesture 
are not emotional, his discourse will fail to persuade. 
Sermons and discourses, no matter how elaborately 
they have been prepared, if the tones of voice, expres- 
sion of countenance and gestures of the body are not 
in keeping with the sentiment, will utterly fail to con- 
vince an audience of the speaker's truth and sincerity: 
The verbal expression of feeling" is not sufficient ; the 
the orator's heart must glow also, he must feel what 
he has written and if he feels his subject, the correct 
elocutionary language will fix every word. Without 
this feeling the most perfect oratorical composition 
will be artificial. It is possible by the study of the 
written speeches of the great masters of eloquence,to 
imitate their excellencies, and to acquire an oratorical 
style. But if the speaker does not feel the sentiments 
so elaborately written, the splendid diction and peri- 
odic structure may strike the ear with awe and won- 
der but fall on the heart like lead. The objections 
against oratory in the pulpit arise from bad delivery 
rather than from any inherent unfitness of such a style 
for sacred themes. If a minister forms an oratorical 
style, he must be able to deliver it in an oratorical 
way ; otherwise, he will be regarded as one who deals 
in unreal and feigned sentiments. 



CHAPTEK XV. 



INTELLECT IN ORATORY. 

The intellectual faculties since they supply the 
material for orations and speeches are highly im- 
portant. There are two great divisions. 

Perceptive and Reflective The function of the per- 
ceptive group is to receive and record the knowledge 
of external objects, facts, and information upon all 
subjects which come through the senses. Hence 
the orator should cultivate the perceptive faculties 
as much as possible. Information upon any subject, 
but especially such knowledge as may be successfully 
employed by way of illustration should be eagerly 
sought after. The function of the reflective faculties 
is to arrange, classify and put in order the knowledge 
thus acquired ; knowledge is of little value if it can- 
not be made part of one's self. The orator should 
aim at perfect originality, never adopt any man's 
thought or language, verbatim, reproduce everything 
in your own way, with your own illustrations, and 
strive to think out truths and principles for yourself. 

Eemember that all truth exists in the universe some- 
where and is just as likely to enter your mind as that 
(330) 



INTELLECT IN OEATOEY. 331 

of your neighbor. Do not, therefore, read books with 
the view of slavishly copying thought, but read rather 
to excite your own thought. If you can only place 
your mind in a true relation with the facts and prin- 
ciples of any subject, you will be likely to have the 
truths of that subject dawn upon you. Imitation or 
adaptation of other men's thoughts leads to mental star- 
vation in the end, but if you have acquired the power 
to originate ideas for yourself, your growth may be 
slow at first, but you will never be exhausted. You 
can never deliver the thoughts of others with the same 
fire with which you can speak your own. Perhaps 
the prevalent dullness of many sermons and discourses 
is due to the fact that those who deliver them have 
compiled the material from a number of sermons writ- 
ten by others on the same object, and this heteroge- 
nous mass not being a part of their nature is sputtered 
forth in a voice as dull as Erebus, like so many pages 
of an encyclopaedia. The cultivation of the reflective 
faculties will aid in originating ideas. The faculty 
of comparison which is one of the reflective group 
is valuable to a speaker because it enables him to 
seize upon the raw material of knowledge and to de- 
tect similar thoughts and ideas, and thus originate 
other thoughts. So, also, causality seeks out the causes 
of things and in this search originates ideas. It should 
be remembered that the intellectual faculties have 
their own language, and in order to express their func- 
tion in delivery this language should be employed. 
It is well to ascertain what particular faculty has 
prompted the matter of a discourse and to suit the 
elocution to express that faculty. Thus, for example j 
never assume an exalted tone of voice in the utter- 
ance of a simple mathematical problem or in the state- 
ment of a moral principle. 



332 ELOCUTION AND OllATORY. 

INTELLECTUAL PROCESSES. 

There are intellectual processes which must not 
appear in delivery. These may be stated briefly: 
memory, choice of words, grouping of ideas, appro- 
priate delivery. 

Memory is a process of the intellect and has no 
function to fulfill in persuasion. We never desire to 
communicate to an audience how well or ill we can re- 
member facts or words. It is the function of mem- 
ory, however, to recall thoughts, images, and ideas 
which will aid persuasion ; and it follows that a good 
memory is of the utmost importance in oratory. In 
the three great branches of public speaking memory 
is necessary. When an orator reads from manuscript 
he should have familiarized his memory with its con- 
tents, because to stumble or hesitate mars the elocu- 
tion. Memory must be exercised here as a sub-pro- 
cess, and never permitted to show itself in the de- 
livery. The same remark applies to extempore and 
memoriter speaking. The memory must be trained 
to supply quickly the information, thoughts or words 
which are the material of the speech or artificiality will 
be the result. Style, choice of words, grouping of 
ideas and in short all that pertains to the composition 
of the subject should be sub-processes. It is not how 
you have selected this or that word or arranged your 
various thoughts, that you wish to impress upon 
your audience but the truths which they contain. 

It is the function of the intellect also to arrange 
and classify the subject-matter of an oration. It is 
of the utmost importance for the speaker to make a 
skeleton or outline of his discourse. Whether he 
speaks extempore or from manuscript, he ought to 
have the main points of his discourse laid out before- 
hand. Not only will such a plan be found useful at 



INTELLECT EH OEATORY. 333 

the time of actual speaking, but the endeavor to clas- 
sify will open up new trains of thought and render 
the conception of the subject broad and many-sided. 

The first requisite in the arrangement of subject 
matter is, that the speaker have a perfectly clear idea 
of his purpose in speaking. He should have a defi- 
nite end in view and arrange all his subject-matter 
towards the establishment of that end. 

This is called the ground or proposition. In oratory, 
since the aim is to convince, the central thought or 
proposition is very clear and is presented prominently 
as the point to which the arguments tend. Thus, for 
instance, Burke in his well-known speech on American 
taxation lays down as his proposition : " That the 
tax ought to be repealed, and the policy of taxation 
abandoned," and eloquently enforces it by a chain of 
arguments. So Erskine, in his defence of the rights 
of jurors lays down the proposition, "That the jury 
is supreme in deciding the guilt or innocence of the 
accused ;" and the arguments which follow are all in 
support of that proposition. In pulpit oratory the 
proposition is often contained in the text. The lead- 
ing stages of oratory may be stated in the form of 
six considerations. 

1. The subject is the thing to be discussed, as : tax- 
ation. 

2. The question is the enunciation of the subject : 
Is taxation an evil ? 

3. The proposition is the thing to be established 
that, taxation is an evil. 

4. The process by which the proposition is estab- 
lished is called the proof: taxation is an evil. 

5. The refutation is the establishment of the oppo- 
site proposition or ground point : Taxation is good. 



334 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

6. Disproof is the overthrow of the proposition : 
taxation is not an evil. 

The question concerning" the burden of proof may 
arise and it is for the interest of each of the contestants 
to secure this vantage-ground for himself, but in 
general where an attack is made the assailant assumes 
the burden of proof and the defendant contents him- 
self with a refutation. 

Oratorical Classification. — To arrange the subject- 
matter of a speech under a few heads adds to the 
clearance of its exposition. An example of classifi- 
cation may be drawn from Cicero's oration against 
Catiline. Exordium. 

First general division — Cicero's defence. 

Particular division. — 1. Kefatation of the charge 
of too great leniency in allowing Catiline to leave the 
city. 

2. Kefutation of the charge of too great severity 
in driving Catiline into exile. 

Second general division. — The resources of Cati- 
line. 

Third general division. — The resources of the re- 
public. 

The orator who wishes to acquire facility in the 
classification of his subject-matter cannot do better 
than to study the speeches of Sir Edmund Burke. 

After the classification of arguments it is impor- 
tant to arrange them in the most effective order. 
Without this even the best classification is of little 
value. The orator, if he wishes to make his thoughts 
forcible, must marshall them in the best order, as a 
general sets his troops in battle-array. Many ora- 
tions are failures from want of care in this respect. 
One section will treat of one thing, the next will take 
up something which more properly belongs to an- 



INTELLECT IN OKATOKY. 335 

other part of the work ; the effect of one argument 
is spoiled by that which follows ; sublime or pathetic 
description is followed by dry statistics, and the ex- 
position of lofty principles by tedious details ; the 
strength of a clinching argument is frittered away 
by presenting it in the wrong place or by diverting 
the attention from this to a crowd of insignificant 
arguments. In this way a discourse though inter- 
esting in thought may be very tedious in presenta- 
tion. In some cases the order of the disposition of 
parts is very easy. Some subjects naturally unfold 
their plan. Many plans can be specified, but four 
chief ones may be profitably considered. 

Chronological Order is the statement of circum- 
stances in the order of their occurrence. This is often 
the most convenient and best method. The orator 
may have t r j allude to events in history and the easiest 
way to dispose of them is to follow the natural order 
of their occurrence. 

Logical Order is the arrangement of thoughts ac- 
cording to their importance. This order is climatic, 
the most powerful coming last. In oratory the log- 
ical order is very important. The concentrated force 
of all the arguments used may be effectively present- 
ed in this way. In proof, the ideas are arranged in 
an ascending series, and go on increasing in strength 
until the end ; the first argument being the weakest, 
and the last the strongest. 

The Strongest Argument may still be reserved to 
the last, but the first one presented may be of great 
force and the weaker ones may be in the middle. 
This arrangement is calculated to arouse the attention 
of the hearer at the outset, and the weaker arguments 
are more favorably received and the forcible ones at 
the end seem more powerful. In refutation, the ar- 



336 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

rangement is just the opposite to that in proof. The 
strongest argument of the opponent is crushed at the 
outset, after which the feebler ones are disposed of 
with such ease that the impression is conveyed that 
the arguments were all very weak. A subject will 
many times arrange itself almost spontaneously into 
several different divisions, and these again may be 
easily analyzed into their minor divisions. It is well 
not to make the sub-divisions too numerous, or they 
will introduce confusion and fail to be remembered. 

Argument is the use of one or more facts or state- 
ments as evidence of some other fact or statement. 
The orator should study logic in order to discriminate 
between weak and powerful arguments. Before enter- 
ing upon the consideration of arguments we must 
clear the way by a few remarks on reasoning in gen- 
eral. The chief constituent elements in reasoning 
are terms, propositions, definitions and proof. 

Terms. — The operation of reasoning is performed 
by means of words, and a full insight into the mean- 
ing and purposes of these is essential. All words 
may be divided into names, descriptive of things or 
acts, words qualifying names, asserting acts or qual- 
ities and qualifying assertions. 

Proposition in oratory comprehends all statements 
or affirmations which are supported or enforced by 
proofs or arguments. It is very important that the 
main proposition should be separated from the subor- 
dinate and particular, and put forth in a clear and 
unmistakable manner. An example from Junius may 
serve as an illustration. " The multitude, in all coun- 
tries is patient to a certain point. Ill-usage may 
rouse their indignation and hurry them into excesses, 
but the original fault is in the government." These 



INTELLECT IN OEATOEY. 337 

last words contain the main proposition, which is 
never lost sight of. 

Counter Proposition. — A common way of establish- 
ing a given principle is by answering and refuting its 
opposite ; as, when advocating free trade a writer 
assails protection, or vice versa. This is merely the 
proposition in another form. 

Definitions add clearness to reasoning, and the 
orator should be careful to define accurately his terms. 
Controversies have often unnecessarily arisen because 
of ambiguous words, and opponents misled by their 
respective interpretations have quarelled and wrangled 
when they were really of the same opinion. 

PROOF HAS TWO ELEMENTS— DEDUCTION AND INDUC- 
TION. 

Deduction is the application of a general law to 
a particular case, and is necessary or implicated, that 
is, such as imply the thing to be proved. Ex., we 
prove the proposition : " We shall all die " from the 
general law : " All men are mortal." 

Induction is a process of inference by which from 
particulars observed, known or admitted, we prove 
through the medium of nature's uniformity, other 
particulars, unobserved, unknown or unadmitted, or 
assert that what is true of certain individuals of a 
class is true of a whole class. Thus from the fact 
that the Earth, Venus, Mercury and Mars revolve 
around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, we infer that 
all the planets of the solar system revolve in the 
same way. 

ARGUMENTS AEE CAUSATIVE, ILLUSTRATIVE AND EXEM- 

PLATIVE. 

Causative. — In these the relation of the premise is 
that of cause and effect ; or where the premise would 



338 ELOCUTION AND OEATORY. 

account for the conclusion if the latter were granted. 
Thus the existence of intense cold accounts for fro- 
zen rivers. This form of argument is frequently used 
in criminal cases. If some justifiable cause for an 
alleged offence can be pointed out, it is strong evi- 
dence. If it can be shown that a person accused of 
murder bore hatred against the victim it strengthens 
the suspicion of his guilt by supplying a motive for 
the murder. Dr. Whately clearly defines the argu- 
ments from causation as follows : " As far as any- 
thing stated as a cause has a tendency to produce 
any given effect, it is an argument for that effect." 

Illustrative Arguments are founded upon the re- 
lation of the premise to the conclusion in the nature 
of association, or similarity, as antecedent and con- 
sequent, sign and thing signified. Thus in the event 
of any one being accused of murder, the fact of 
blood-stains on his garments would be an argument 
of this nature. This kind of argument is easily 
understood by men, for it is of very frequent occur- 
rence. In civilized communities a large proportion 
of the judgments of men are based upon the obser- 
vation of significant facts. Circumstantial evidence 
in judicial cases is regarded as the strongest kind of 
evidence. Testimony is of the nature of illustrative 
arguments. Its most familiar form is to be found in 
judicial oratory, which consists extensively of induc- 
tion from evidence. 

Exemplative Arguments reason from the known to 
the unknown. If we know the nature of one or more 
individuals of a class, we may infer that all the indi- 
viduals of that class have the same nature. Thus, if the 
republic of America be taken as an example of a dem- 
ocratic form of government, we may reason concern- 
ing the nature or form of other republics. The exem- 



INTELLECT IN ORATORY. 339 

plative arguments are drawn from experience, anal- 
ogy and contrast. A large class of arguments are 
based upon facts in our own experience or that of 
other men. In this way are formed many of the opin- 
ions of common life, such as those which relate to the 
order of nature, the seasons, tides, day and night, the 
weather, etc. Political wisdom and historic proph- 
ecy are founded upon this kind of argumentation. 
Whatever men have done in the past, we expect them 
under similar circumstances to do in the future. 

Analogical Arguments are based upon similar rela- 
tions, not on likeness. We reason from our knowledge 
of the facts in one case concerning the facts in another 
analogous case. In similarity the two things brought 
into comparison are alike. In analogy they are not 
alike, but stand in similar relations to other things. 
It is an argument from analogy when we compare na- 
tions with individuals in respect to vital constitution 
and infer that every nation will pass through the suc- 
cessive stages of maturity, old age and death. Anal- 
ogical arguments have much oratorical plausibility. 
They contain the foundation circumstances of all rea- 
soning, a resemblance of particulars ; but the accom- 
panying disparity limits their application. Grattan 
argues in favor of the rights of the Irish people from 
the analogous case of the Americans. 

When from the facts in one case we judge concern- 
ing another contrary case, things contrary must be 
distinguished from things dissimilar. Dissimilarity 
may be asserted of any two things which are unlike, 
as a man and a book ; but contrariety is predicated 
of two oppositethings of the same class, as virtue and 
vice, joy and sorrow, ignorance and knowledge. 
Proverbs are based upon this kind of argument. 



340 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF 
ARGUMENTS. 

Arguments of causation are associated chiefly with 
deduction ; illustrative and exemplative with induc- 
tion ; and follow the laws of reason which are re- 
spectively applicable to these processes. 

CLEARNESS OF STATEMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF 
ARGUMENTS. 

Clearness in method is obtained by lucid definitions 
examples, and illustrations, which have already been 
sufficiently considered. Also by full explanation of 
important points and by analysis and synthesis. 
Analysis refers to the explication of the topics, classi- 
fied arguments, and their exposition in detail. Syn- 
thesis is the converse of analysis and refers to the 
combination of all the particular topics of argument 
and their presentation in classified order. 

When these are united the arguments gain unusual 
clearness. The orator can lead his audience, step by 
step up from a lower fact to a higher law and show 
how the former is contained in the latter. Such a 
method gains the interest of the listener, inspires him 
with confidence and the delightful feeling that he has 
to some extent discovered the truth himself, and as 
he follows the speaker in his investigations every 
phase of the reasoning makes the subject clearer and 
at last the conclusion falls with powerful conviction. 

In passing frofai one argument to another or from 
general divisions the orator should make his transi- 
tions in such a way that the argument bears a close 
relation and the divisions appear to grow naturally 
out of each other. Such a process adds very much to 
the force of the argument. 

Amplification. — Arguments may be made clearer 



IXELLECTT IN OKATORY. 341 

and stronger by dwelling upon the important propo- 
sition, this is called amplification. Burke, Pitt and 
Erskine make good use of this process. 

It is the nature of everything that is great and useful, both in 
the Animate and inanimate world, to be wild and irregular, and 
we must be content to take them with the alloys that belong to 
them. Genius breaks from the fetters of criticism, but its wander- 
ings are sanctioned by its majesty and wisdom when it advances 
on its path; subject it to the critic and you tame it into dullness. 
Mighty rivers break down their banks in the winter, sweeping 
away to death the flocks which are fattened on the soil that they 
fertilize in the summer : the few may be saved by the embank- 
ments from drowning, but the flock must perish from hunger. 
Tempests occasionally shake our dwellings and dissipate our com- 
merce : but they scourge before them the lazy elements which 
without them would stagnate into pestilence. In like manner lib- 
erty herself, the last and best gift of God to his creatures, must be 
taken just as she is — you might pare her down into bashful reg- 
ularity, and shape her into a perfect model of severe, scrupulous 
law , but she would then be liberty no longer : and you must be 
content to die under the lash of this inexorable justice which you 
had exchanged for the banners of freedom. — Erskine. 

Diminution is closely associated with amplification. 
Its object is to make the main proposition emphatic 

by degrading antagonistic propositions. 

Along with its natural protectors and guardians, learning will 
be cast into the mire, and trodden down under the hoofs of a 
swinish multitude. — Burke. 

Nothing can be stronger than the term " swinish 
multitude;" it at once degrades the arguments against 
public education by showing into what hands learn- 
ing may fall. 

We are told that the continent of North America contains three 
millions, not only of men but of Whigs — of Whigs tierce for lib- 
berty and disdainful of dominion ; that they multiply with the 
fecundity of their rattlesnakes, so that every quarter of a century 
they double their numbers. 



342 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Condensation. — Burke,, in his speech on conciliation 
with America, has many examples of condensation. 
He gathers into a brief compass four powerful prop- 
ositions against the employment of force to subdue 
the colonies. The use of force alone is not effectual 
for all time, but of the nature of expediency and tem- 
porary. Even if it is an efficient instrument of sub- 
jugation it is very uncertain. It generally injures the 
morale of the object aimed at. And in the rule of the 
colonies there is no experience in favor of force. 

Generalization is the application of the principle of 
induction in such a way that arguments rise from par- 
ticular instances to general laws. The orator may in 
this way deduce from certain facts or truths conclu- 
sions of the most weighty character. Burke is a store- 
house of generalizations, it is his favorite method and 
many of his propositions read like old proverbs. 

Nothing in the world can read so awful and so instructive a les- 
son as the conduct of the ministry in this business upon the mis- 
chief of not having large and liberal ideas in the management of 
affairs. 

The presentation of arguments in a definite or con- 
crete form is more forcible than the indefinite or ab- 
stract. A speaker who deals in abstraction is lis- 
tened to with indifference and even impatience. The 
pulpit orator who expounds dogmas may be ortho- 
dox but he cannot be persuasive. The great orators 
deal directly with facts rather than with the discus- 
sion of principles, and when necessary to dwell on 
principles they make them vivid by individual exam- 
ples. For the same reason it is better to describe a 
scene or event than to allude to it in a general way. 

Proposition may be made very emphatic and promi- 
nent by certain forms of presentation. And here 
comes in the great principle that whenever the mental 



INTELLECT IN ORATORY. 343 

faculties become emotional the language and con- 
struction assume a more vivid or stronger arrangement. 
In the mere enunciation of facts there is no emotional 
fervor, but the instant the orator begins to declare 
principles which have taken root in his own nature 
they assume an emotional garb. This is why impas- 
sioned oratory is more persuasive than unimpassioned. 
Passion in a speaker indicates, not only that he is 
convinced of the truth he declares, but, that he really 
believes in it and will carry it out in action. When a 
speaker is fully convinced of the truth of his pro- 
positions he presents them in the form of assertion : 

Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to 
desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no 
retreat but in submission or slavery. — Henry. 

Denial is another emotive presentation of a propo- 
sition which renders it extremely emphatic : " It was 
not I who inspired the Hungarian people. No, it 
was the Hungarian people who inspired me." Propo- 
sitions may be emphasized by presenting them as 
maxims or proverbs : " The blood of man should 
never be shed but to redeem the blood of man ;" 
"Parsimony is not economy;" "Nothing is so op- 
pressive and unjust as a feeble government ; Sla- 
very they can have anywhere. It is a weed that 
grows in every soil." 

Digression may render the main proposition more 
emphatic if skilfully employed. It should be made 
not for itself but for the purpose of returning again 
to the main proposition with renewed force. Propo- 
sitions are rendered emphatic by repetition. " But, 
sir, I have no reason to expect indulgence, nor do 
I know that I shall meet with bare justice in this 
house." When Fox uttered these words, the audience 
burst forth in exclamations of disapprobation, where- 



344 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

upon lie repeated the same proposition with greater 
emphasis : " Sir, I have no reason to expect indul- 
gence, nor do I know that I shall meet with bare jus- 
tice in this house." 

Recapitulation is a form of repetition and is very 
persuasive in oratory. It not only serves to render 
emphatic the main proposition but refreshes the 
memory and brings up once more those arguments 
which might be forgotten and enables the speaker 
to conclude his arguments with renewed force. 

CAN INTELLECTUAL THOUGHT BE PRESENTED IN AN 
INTERESTING AND PERSUASIVE MANNER ? 

The great forensic orator, Rufus Choate, declares 
" there is no thought too deep or intricate for a 
popular audience if rightly presented," and he is cor- 
rect. There are faculties in the human constitution 
which are chiefly interested by intellectual thought. 
Inquisitiveness is pleased to learn facts ; and wonder, 
or the love of novelty receives with joy the various ar- 
guments which present a subject in a new light; cau- 
sality is gratified by the presentation of first princi- 
ple and the motives of actions ; comparison takes 
in the unfolding of the relations of things, and the 
discrimination of similarity and differences. Even 
such intellectual processes as calculation, mathemat- 
ical demonstration and abstract reasoning need not be 
tedious if rightly presented. The principles which 
rule intellectual thoughts in relation to dullness or in- 
terest may be resolved into : 1. Every faculty may 
be interested by the presentation of its own particular 
food, that is, each faculty is stimulated or moved to 
activity by objects or ideas which resemble the nature 
of the faculties. Mental stimulation produces a feel- 
ing of pleasure ; hence, the activity of any intellec- 



INTELLECT IN ORATORY. 345 

tual faculty will impart a feeling of interest. 2. Ac- 
cording to the number of faculties awakened will be 
the intensity of the feeling of interest ; that is, if a 
discourse is adapted to awaken not only comparison 
but also locality, causality, desire of knowledge, etc., 
the resultant interest will be heightened. Mathemat- 
ics, when dealing simply with numerical computation, 
can only interest the faculty of calculation, but if its 
principles are illustrated by comparisons with the 
principles which rule the truths of other faculties, the 
interest is heightened. In brief, the more faculties 
an orator can stimulate the greater the interest. 3. In- 
tellectual thought is not necessarily cut off from emo- 
tive thought. The intellect stands as the door through 
which enter the ideas, conceptions, and representa- 
tions of objects which stimulate the emotions and 
passions. Then, why should not intellectual concep- 
tions borrow energy and interest from the emotions ? 
There is scarcely an intellectual thought which can- 
not be drawn into the furnace of some one or all of 
the emotions and purified of its dullness and clothed 
with fire. Thus, interest and vigor are added to logical 
arguments when gleaming with the sharp, incisive 
and fiery words of the aggressive emotion. The deep- 
est intellectual thoughts and operations may thus be 
rendered not only interesting and convincing but per- 
suasive. With what zeal do men engage in debate, 
and how interesting are such debates to an audience ; 
and yet some of the most intellectual thoughts may be 
the subject of these debates. Not only the aggres- 
sive but the other groups of emotions can be thus 
made to heighten the interest of a discourse. The love 
emotions and the religious sentiments can endow in- 
tellectual thought with supernatural power ; and sub- 
limity and ideality add interest to intellectual thought, 



346 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

encircling it with a spell of exaggeration and beauty. 
Numerical calculations and philosophical meditations 
lose their dullness when presented in contrasted re- 
lation which awaken sublime thought when colored 
by the imagination. 

Six thousand years of human existence have passed away, 
Countless armies of the dead have set sail from the shores of 
time. No traveller has returned from the still land beyond. More 
than one hundred and fifty generations have done their work and 
sunk into the dust again, and still there is not a voice, there is 
not a whisper from the grave to tell us whether, indeed those 
myriads are in existence still. — Robertson. 

Imagination not only heightens the interest of in- 
tellectual conceptions it also renders their meaning 
clear. 

REASONS, WHY INTELLECTUAL THOUGHT IS INTERESTING. 

Intellectual thought is more often rendered uninter- 
esting by being presented in a certain kind of phrase- 
ology than by any inherent dullness. Some writers 
strive after profundity of thought by expressing them- 
selves in a metaphysical or abstruse way. Questions 
which any mind of less than ordinary intelligence 
could easily grasp, if directly presented in a few 
words, are so be-clouded with intricate and cumber- 
some words, which, though they give an appearance 
of depth, yet render the meaning difficult of ascer- 
tainment. Such writers are always inventing new 
words to express thought already more clearly con- 
veyed by words in current use. But the current and 
popular words are passed by, for their use would re- 
veal the meagre thoughts. Not only the use of words 
but certain kinds of phraseology renders intellectual 
thought uninteresting. Such phrases as " let us con- 
sider," and " we pass on to the next point " are so often 
employed that the hearer is impressed with a feeling 
that there is nothing clear but everything has to be 



INTELLECT IN ORATORY. 347 

considered* Tlien again logical terms are applied 
to almost every thought. "I establish my premise 
and I draw my conclusion," recurs again and again in 
connection with the most evident arguments and the 
hearer wishes from the bottom of his heart that the 
speaker would draw his conclusion and have done. 
The phraseology of logic should be avoided as much 
as possible, and all the cant expressions of metaphy- 
sics. They are as injurious to vigorous oratory as re- 
ligious-cant phrases are to spirituality. The classifi- 
cations and forms of logic and the process of reason- 
ing may be of use in a class-room for the purpose of 
distinguishing between arguments, and to arrange 
them in order, but avoid them in direct speech. Did 
you overhear a person advocating a cause, unless he 
was corrupted by some of our schools, begin by say- 
ing ''I divide my subject into so many heads," "I wish 
to direct your thoughts to the major premise of my 
argument, and my minor will exemplify the major and 
the conclusion is, that ' all is not gold that glitters.' " I 
should think not ; many an argument has this glitter 
of logic, but no thought. Let it be borne in mind that 
an orator in earnest never stoops to such vile garbage 
of expression. His mind seizes an argument with the 
rapidity of lightning, without such intricate processes, 
and llashes it hissing hot into the minds of his hearers. 
The cant of logic and metaphysics may delight simple- 
tons and impress them with a sense of profundity, 
but can never persuade men. But, this is not all, these 
would-be profound thinkers carry even their meta- 
physical and logical toys into a domain where it is a 
sacrilege to introduce them, the region of emotion 
and passion. They say "let us consider the soul's 
emotion and the rapturous bliss of faith," with calm 
and sober brow they dissect feeling with an ana- 



348 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tomists knife and reduce religions emotions with- 
in the forms of logical precision,"wondering why the 
people before them are so inattentive and sleepy. 
Alas, why can you not discover by your own logical 
formulas the great premise : they are natural men and 
women, stirred to action by natural language and the 
grand conclusion, " you are artificial — artificial flesh, 
bones and all." 

The writers of popular scientific books avoid as 
much as possible this stilted phraseology, and gain a 
host of readers because of their good sense. Darwin, 
Huxley, Tyndal, Proctor and Hugh Miller have been 
true instructors of the people because their style is in- 
teresting. The same may be said of phrenology in 
comparison with metaphysics. That science has en- 
deavored by a common-sense classification and pop- 
ular exposition of the mental faculties to educate the 
people. Metaphysics on the other hand has delight- 
ed in making the most evident truths obscure ; hence 
nearly all metaphysical books have died a natural 
death in their own day and have been eaten by libra- 
ry-worms. Whereas phrenological books are still 
read, and their pages, instead of maggot-crawl marks 
bear the traces of human thumbs. 



CHAPTEE XVI. 



THE FUNCTION OP THE WILL, IMITATION, IMAGINATION 
AND MAGNETISM IN ORATORY. 

Imitation is a genetic faculty in the human consti- 
tution. Yery many of the elements of good delivery 
are learned by imitation. Articulate language is ar- 
tificial, and the child learns it from the mother by 
imitation. It is true that there must be a mental con- 
ception of the sound to be produced before its execu- 
tion, but this conception is weak in the child's mind, 
hence the difficulty children experience in learning to 
speak. As they grow in wisdom the ability to form 
mental types of sound and to imitate that sound is 
increased. As the child in its early education depends 
upon the mother for the type of sound, the reproduc- 
tion of that sound will be imperfect if the type is im- 
perfect. Children imitate their parents' vocal sounds, 
hence the necessity of correct early instruction. 

Many of the vices of elocution which mar the de- 
livery of some speakers can be traced to their early 
imitation of faulty vocal sounds. All provincialisms 
(349) 



350 ELOCUTION AND OltATOKY. 

arise from the imitation of false pattern sounds. 
As children are seldom taught correct elocution, 
either in the nursery or at school, it is not wonderful 
that faults in pronunciation and expression should 
be so prevalent. You can tell the character of a per- 
son's companions by his speech, it will be tinctured 
by theirs. The influence of imitation in the dram- 
atic art need hardly be dwelt upon. The graceful 
and appropriate elocution often exemplified on the 
stage is in part the product of imitation. The actor, 
studies the manners and character of the hero he 
wishes to personate and by the aid of imitation and 
sympathy assumes a style of elocution appropriate 
to each. Although it may be admitted that the high- 
est success in the dramatic art, requires that the na- 
tive faculties necessary should be possessed by the 
actor or orator, yet these faculties may be stimulated 
and their want of vigor supplied by imitation. To 
assume the tones and gestures of others is one way 
of personifying their characters. In the art of mim- 
icry all kinds of knowledge will be valuable. The 
more thoroughly acquainted the actor is with the sub- 
ject of his representation the better will be that rep- 
resentation. 

IMITATIVE MODULATION. 

Beside the aid which imitation renders to all the 
branches of elocution it has also a distinctive func- 
tion in expression which no other faculty can per- 
form. It must have been observed that thousands of 
the words in the English language are imitations of 
the sound of the thing represented. Such words as 
hiss, buzz, bustle, bristle, roar, crash, splash, rattle and 
twitter are articulate imitations of the sounds which 
some objects make, When these words were first pro- 



IMAGINATION AND MAGNETISM. 351 

nounced they were so rendered as to convey the mo- 
tion or sound implied ; but through long use we pro- 
nounce them as if they were simply arbitrary signs. 
We are forming such imitative words every day, and 
they are among the most expressive in the whole lan- 
guage. Do we not, for instance, imitate the action of 
sawing wood by " see-saw, see-saw, see-saw?" The im- 
itation of the roar of thunder is another example of 
modern imitation which may pass into simple arbitra- 
ry signs. The noise which follows a flash of light- 
ning is sought to be imitated by the combination of 
words suggestive of the sound. " Fzt-boom, beroom, 
boom ! boom ! bang !" We imitate the explosion of a 
cannon in much the same way, " Fzt-boom, beroom, 
boom ; bumble-umble ! bang-smash !" There are hun- 
dreds of imitative words now forming which will be- 
come part of our mother-tongue in the course of time. 
Formerly such words as hiss, rattle, etc., were deliv- 
ered by imitative modulations of voice as we now 
deliver see-saw and other vocal compounds. It is 
well to preserve this imitative delivery ; because if 
not carried too far it is an element in natural and 
vigorous expression. When we speak of whistling or 
roaring winds, clashing of swords or the clang of ar- 
mor, the dashing cataract or the murmuring brook, 
the words are imitative of the sound, and if the voice 
brings out the relation between the words and their 
sound it will not only please the ear but convey the 
meaning more vividly. Imitation is not confined to 
single words. The works of poetical and imaginative 
authors abound in passages, which by their construc- 
tion suggest their meaning. It is thoroughly in ac- 
cordance with natural delivery that these passages 
should receive the interpretation of the voice to con- 
vey their full meaning. 



352 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

IMAGINATION IN DELIVERY. 

The influence of the imagination upon the style of 
oratorical composition has been generally recognized 
by writers on rhetoric, but its influence upon delivery 
has not been duly emphasized. Imagination is even 
more essential to good delivery than to composition, 
for it is absolutely necessary that the reader or 
speaker should conceive the full meaning and power 
of what he delivers. In the case of the reader he is 
obliged to enter into the spirit of the author whose 
composition he reads, and in order to do this naturally 
and effectively he must be able to vividly realize the 
scenes which the author describes. He should form 
a mental picture not only in general but in detail of 
the thoughts, emotions and events which the writer 
delineates. The faculty of picture-painting makes 
scenes and events real. The dead are before us, be- 
reft of their shrouds, and talk like real men and 
women. 

The past is lived over again in the present. Imagi- 
nation differs in individuals ; some have such keen 
sensibilities that they readily conceive of events 
whenever the words are pronounced, others find great 
difficulty in realizing a scene. The best way to cul- 
tivate imagination is to ask questions concerning the 
meaning of what is written. " How did such a scene 
originate ? How true is it to natural events ? How 
many interpretations can be drawn from it ?" Since 
there is always present an element of exaggeration in 
the imagination highly imaginative language requires 
a grand delivery. 

Magnetism. — Some speaker have the power to 
sway an audience at will, to compel almost every one 
to pay the closest attention to what they have to say. 
"When a speaker exerts a more than ordinary fasci- 



IMAGINATION AND MAGNETISM. 353 

nation over his audience many explain his power 
by saying, " he has magnetism." There is indeed a 
vast difference in speakers in their control of an 
audience. Some can easily hold the attention of 
the men and women before them for hours, while 
others cannot interest them for half an hour. It 
is very difficult to discover in what this mysterious 
power consists. Those who speak of an orator's 
magnetism are often the ones most ignorant of the 
principles upon which such magnetism depends. 
The breathless interest with which we sometimes 
follow an orator and which does not depend upon 
what he says (for some other speaker has said the 
same thing again and again), proves that there must 
be something peculiar to that orator. The explana- 
tion of this power seems to us to include the very 
basis of oratory. It cannot consist in the mere ex- 
ternals of elocution, inflection, emphasis, time, pitch, 
stress, etc., for there have been speakers perfect in 
all these who have not swayed an audience like some 
others not so perfect in elocution. The elocution of 
Mary Anderson is regarded by some eminent teach- 
ers of the vocal art as full of blemishes, yet she has 
entire control of her audience. In her case and in 
the case of other distinguished actors and orators 
their power over an audience is attributed to mag- 
netism. It would be well if those who talk the most 
about oratorical magnetism could only explain what 
they mean by such a power. To observe such a 
power is one thing, to explain it is another. Our 
object in writing this chapter is to call attention to 
the subject of oratorical magnetism and if possible 
to offer a solution. We start with the assumption 
that everything which does not come from some 
Supernatural power is dependent upon natural con- 






S54 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY 

ditions or laws. Magnetism, if it is not a name to 
cover one's ignorance, is either a supernatural gift 
or else it depends on natural conditions. The latter 
seems the more probable, hence we will strive to find 
the natural principles upon which it depends. These 
principles are constitutional. 

Oratorical magnetism is developed only when one 
individual speaks to another or to a multitude of men 
and women ; it is therefore a reciprocal influence be- 
cause it requires for its manifestation an interchange 
of thought and feeling. If we watch the effect of a 
magnetic orator upon his audience we will discover 
that he has aroused in their minds the feeling or 
thought which agitates his own. That is, the speaker 
has awakened in his own mind sentiments, emotions, 
and passions which find a responsive echo in the 
hearts of his hearers. If we watch still closer the 
effect upon the audience we will discover that not one 
feeling alone has been awakened but a number of 
emotions ; the more fully the orator awakens our 
thoughts and emotions the more surely does he draw 
us to himself. Magnetism depends upon the number, 
activity and intensity of the mental states possessed 
by the speaker and listener. Those speakers are most 
magnetic who are most highly endowed. This is borne 
out by fact. The great orators have been men of 
great physical and mental powers. Demosthenes, 
Cicero, Chatham, Chalmers, Fox, Mirabeau, and Web- 
ster were all of large stature and great brain power. 

The more excited an orator becomes the more can 
he throw around his audience the spell of magnetism. 
If his heart is alive with passion the hearts of his 
audience will not fail to respond. The best way to 
develop this gift for the purpose of oratory is to ac- 
quire the power to awaken the various mental states 



Imagination and magnetism. 355 

in ourselves and in the audience. The foundation of 
this, as of all elements of power in oratory, rests upon 
an analysis of the human constitution. The fact that 
there have been speakers possessed of all the graces 
of elocution who yet have not held the attention as 
well as some not so fully gifted does not militate 
against elocution : the externals of oratory may be 
assumed without the spirit, which, after all, is the 
most essential. The most perfect orator is he who 
combines both external and internal gifts. 

Yolition or the TVill in Oratory.— The will has a 
very important function in elocution and oratory, for 
many of the elements of expression may by habit, re- 
petition and imitation come under the control of the 
will. In fact, elocutionary training proceeds on the 
assumption that by exercise, command over elements 
of good delivery may become a sort of second nature 
in the orator so that he can employ them at will. 
"We know that the will has no power of itself to call 
the mental states into activity, but it can influence 
the direction of the feelings when once aroused. By 
the aid of the thoughts the will can change the cur- 
rent of feeling into other channels or can continue it 
in'the same channel. It can also restrain the expres- 
sion of the mental states by means of the voluntary 
muscles of the body. The mental states begin to 
manifest themselves by preparatory movements which, 
if encouraged, will lead to actions more or less violent ; 
the will can restrain these emotions. It may sometimes 
be necessary that some emotions and passions should 
be restrained as unfitted for the occasion or as likely 
to injure by their manifestion the .cause advocated by 
the speaker. It is therefore necessary that the 
speaker should practice the elements of expression 
so fully that he can readily control them. 



356 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Muscular Actions. — When a feeling is active and we 
wish to restrain or suppress its manifestation we can 
do so by acting upon the voluntary muscles of the 
body, especially by assuming the gestures which are 
the language of an opposite passion or emotion. 

Intellectual Direction of Thought We can will 

our intellects or conceive images just the opposite 
to the feeling which is struggling for expression. 

Repetition of all the elements of expression brings 
them under control of the will. It is for this reason 
that elocutionary practice is so valuable. Inflection, 
time, stress, pitch, emphasis and all the expressive 
modifications of the voice if perseveringly and con- 
stantly practised will become responsive to the will. 

Reserve Power is immediately dependent upon the 
will ; it is an important factor in good elocution. Self- 
control is essential to reserve power in oratory and is 
a product of the will. The importance of reserve pow- 
er in delivery can hardly be over-estimated. It is 
highly necessary that an orator should be able to con- 
trol his emotions. No matter to what height his flights 
of eloquence ascend he must not lose his self-control, 
there should always be conveyed to his audience a 
sense of reserve power, a depth of feeling not ex- 
pressed and an easy and graceful delivery. When 
an orator has full control of all the mental states and 
their expression he will have the mastery of himself. 
When a speaker is self-possessed his audience, by 
the force of sympathy, will be at ease also ; on the 
other hand, if a speaker over-exerts himself, or if he 
has lost the equipoise of his faculties through fear or 
other exciting causes he can never control his audi- 
ence. 

The consciousness of power is itself a source of 
power. When an orator has developed talents for or- 



INTELLECT IN ORATOEY. 357 

atory to such an extent that he can readily estimate 
what will be the effect upon an audience of certain 
methods of delivery and that he is able to employ 
these methods whenever he chooses, he will be con- 
scious of reserve-power. It is natural to follow a con- 
fident leader. Doubt, hesitation and fear never achieve 
victories. When men and women feel that they are 
addressed by one who has probed to their depths the 
truths he wishes them to embrace, they are willing to 
follow him. Self-control conveys this impression ; 
men are generally confident about things of which 
they are fully informed. An audience will follow a 
speaker who has reserve-power with breathless inter- 
est, because they are persuaded that what he is im- 
parting is inferior to what he can express, and they 
expect every moment greater revelations. There are 
two stages of passion, the violent and the subdued. 
The violent is not so impressive as the subdued, for 
the latter conveys the idea that the emotion is too in- 
tense for utterance. The stifled sob, the broken wail 
are more expressive of grief than loud screams and 
violent gestures of the body. When a speaker thus 
restrains passion, the imaginations of his audience 
are excited and they magnify the internal feeling and 
are led to believe that the measure which the speaker 
advocates is infinitely more worthy than he can ex- 
press. On the other hand, the absence of reserve- 
power has a very damaging effect upon an audience. 
If the orator loses self-control, when he feels that he 
is exerting himself to the utmost and that he has no 
resource left, that all his powers of expression have 
been employed to no purpose, he becomes anxious, 
doubtful and despairs of success. These mental states 
take possession of his elocution and convey themselves 
to the audience and so they lose confidence in him 



358 ELOCUTION AND OUATORY. 

and refuse to be persuaded. Reserve-power is also 
necessary to natural delivery. The expression of the 
mental states in their own appropriate language 
should be the aim of correct elocution. Elocution will 
be more natural if nature is imitated with a certain 
degree of modesty, that is, its language should be 
subdued, not violently expressed. There are some 
emotions and passions so violent in their nature that 
to express them as they should naturally be expressed 
would shock an audience, hence a subdued form of 
delivery is more appropriate for such. This is anal- 
ogous to what is done in the arts of painting and 
sculpture ; it is found expedient in these arts to mod- 
ify the expression of the violent passions. 

It is a well-known fact that a speech which is cli- 
matic is always more effective than one not so con- 
structed ; that an orator should become more pow- 
erful toward the close of his discourse than at its 
beginning. Reserve-power in elocution enables a 
speaker to so husband his vocal power that when 
the close or climatic part of his speech arrives he 
seems to be possessed of a giant's strength, for in- 
stead of becoming exhausted by his previous efforts 
he seems to swell with increased power. Reserve- 
power also enables the speaker to impart variety to 
his delivery. Nothing tends to destroy an advo- 
cate's cause more surely than monotony, and a deliv- 
ery which is all vigorous will be as monotonous as 
one devoid of energy. Reserve-power enables an 
orator to guard against this ; he can keep back his 
passion and let it out at the most emphatic points. 
The thoughts thus emphasized will be more power- 
ful from their contrasted relation to other thoughts 
less vigorously expressed. The most successful ora- 
tors are not those who can roar the loudest or keep 



INTELLECT IN OMTOftY. 359 

up passionate declamation the longest, but those who 
can vary their delivery to suit the natural language 
of the emotions. The most ready way to develop 
this power is by the cultivation of the will. Acquire 
by habits of repetition and restraint the ability to do 
things at pleasure. A careful study of the language 
of the mental states and the training of the voice are 
the most effectual means of acquiring reserve-power 
in delivery. 



CHAPTEE XYII. 



THE INFLUENCE OF THE TEMPERAMENTS IN ORATORY. 

Our system of oratory would be incomplete without 
a consideration of the temperaments, since they give 
rise to various styles of elocution which must be 
observed and carefully distinguished, and the manner 
of instruction adapted to suit their peculiarities. 

A Temperament may be broadly denned as a pe- 
culiar state of the constitution, depending upon the 
relative proportion of its different constituents and 
the relative energy of its different functions. The 
human body is composed of three grand classes or 
systems of organs, each having special functions in 
the general economy. These may be enumerated as 
the motive or mechanical system, which includes the 
bones, muscles and ligaments of the body ; the vital 
or nutritive system, which includes the lymphatics, 
the blood-circulating organs and the glands ; the 
mental or nervous system, which includes the brain 
and all the organs of sense. The relative develop- 
ment of each of these systems gives rise to three pri- 
mary temperaments which in combination form all 
(360) 



TEMPERAMENTS IN ORATORY. 



361 



other temperaments. These primary temperaments 
are called Vital, Motive and Mental. 

THE MOTIVE TEMPERAMENT. 

In this temperament the bony framework of the 
body forms the distinctive outlines of its general con- 
figuration and the muscular fibres and cellular tissues 




Motive Temperament — Well-Marked. 

which overlay it. We find in the motive tempera- 
ment very marked characteristics : bones large and 
generally long rather than broad and the bodily form 
is angular. The stature is tall ; the face oblong ; the 
cheek bones prominent ; the neck rather long ; the 
shoulders broad ; the chest moderate in size and full- 
ness ; the abdomen moderate, and the limbs gener- 
ally longer than the body. The muscles, having 
large bones to support, are well developed, firm, and 
correspond in form with the bones. The complexion, 
eyes, and hair are generally, but not always, dark. 



362 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

It is a temperament of energy and strength of char- 
acter rather than flexibility and hence orators of this 
temperament will have a style of elocution charac- 
terized by vigor and energy rather than refinement 
and versatility. The leading oratorical character- 
istics are: The resistive and aggressive propen- 
sities which, when emotionally excited, will produce 
the resistive, defensive and malign. The passions are 
generally fully developed in the motive temperament. 
The self-regarding and reliant emotions, arising from 
large self-esteem are even more passionate in this 
temperament than the aggressive emotions. The tran- 
scendental and love emotions are active rather than 
susceptible. There will be a manifestation of love, 
veneration, and spirituality in action rather than in 
sympathetic susceptibility. All the passions and 
emotions will express themselves in passionate rather 
than sentimental language. The expression of the 
countenance is strongly marked, grave, determined, 
self-reliant, and even stern. The attitudes of^the body 
are striking rather than versatile, and dramatic rather 
than oratorical. The word language is abrupt, for- 
cible, energetic rather than graceful and harmonious, 
always expressive, concise, emphatic and appropriate 
but without finish and beauty. There is a tendency 
to leave out all connectives and to lay hold of special 
words as most expressive of the meaning. The voice 
in the fully-developed motive temperament is a bass 
or baritone. The style of elocution is distinct, forcible, 
abounding in emphasis, energetic, but not smooth, 
gentle, harmonious or elegant. The intonation 
though wide in range is not versatile, and is expres- 
sive of the violent rather than the gentle emotion or 
finer shades of passion. An orator of the motive 
temperament is better able to win men by magnetic 






TEMPERAMENTS IN ORATORY. 363 

force than by sympathetic love, to lead them to act, 
rather than to shed tears. 

Abnormal Motive. — There is an abnormal develop- 
ment of this temperament in which both the vital and 
mental systems are sacrificed to mere muscular devel- 
opment. It is indicated by a short thick neck, broad 
shoulders and an excessive development of the mus- 
cular system. The head is small, and has its greatest 
development in the basilar region. It is in vain to 
expect eloquence from persons who have this temper- 
ament. They are fitted only to be " hewers of wood 
and drawers of water." 

VITAL TEMPERAMENT. 

The vital and nutritive organs, which occupy the 
great cavities of the trunk, when predominant furnish 
the framework of this temperament. Its general con- 
figuration is rotundity. The face is round ; nostrils 
wide ; neck short ; shoulders broad and rounded ; the 
chest large ; the abdomen well developed ; all the 
members plump and tapering, and the hands and feet 
relatively small. The complexion is generally florid ; 
the eyes light, and the hair soft and abundant, in 
color, generally light. The stature in general is above 
the medium height but shorter and broader than in 
the motive. The body is generally longer proportion- 
ally than the limbs. The vital temperament is emi- 
nently an elocutionary temperament. There is an 
abundance of emotional susceptibility. The aggres- 
sive and resistive emotions are fully developed and 
are more susceptible than in the motive temperament. 
The love emotions are generally active and passion- 
ately susceptible. The transcendental emotions, es- 
pecially the anticipatory and exuberant class, read- 
ily flame into passion. The motions of the body are 
graceful, rapid and more expressive of the delicate 



364 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



shades of emotion than those of the motive tempera- 
ment. The countenance is expressive of joy, socia- 
bility, mirthfulness, happiness and benevolence. The 
voice is generally a baritone or tenor and has great 




Vital Temperament — Strong. 
flexibility, compass and volume. When rightly cul- 
tivated it is capable of the grandest flights of ora 
tory. Not only can it express by its varied intona- 
tions the deep and striking passions, but also the 
gentle and finer shades of emotion. Its tones are 
sonorous, grand and sympathetic. The utterance is 
rapid and vivacious but not abrupt. The elocution 
in general is fervid, brilliant and energetic. An ora- 
tor of the vital temperament will hold his audience 
more by sympathetic than by wilful magnetism, will 
win men and women by love rather than by force. 

Abnormal Yital. — There is an abnormal-vital and 
unhealthy temperament which resembles the vital, 
but which is really an effect of low vitality, since 



TEMPEEAMENTS IN OEATOEY. 



365 



t there is an undue preponderance of the absorbent 
system and a sluggish action of the circulatory or- 
gans. It is called the lymphatic temperament by 
modern physiologists, and corresponds with the 
phlegmatic constitution of the ancients. Persons 
so constituted are bodily and mentally indolent, apa- 
thetic, cold and destitute of eloquence. 

MENTAL TEMPERAMENT. 

The mental temperament having its basis in the 
brain and nervous system is characterized by a head 
proportionally larger than the body ; oval face, high 
forehead, broadest at top; delicately chiseled features, 




Mental Tempeeament. 
fine transparent skin, hair generally light and not 
abundant, expressive eyes, gray or hazel. The frame 
relatively slight, neck slender and chest only mo- 
derately developed. The figure is elegant and grace- 



366 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ful but not striking. The muscles are small and 
adapted rather to rapid or delicate action than to 
strength. An orator of the mental temperament will 
be noted for grace rather than energy of action. The 
intellectual faculties and the transcendental emotions 
are the most fully developed. The voice is generally 
a tenor ; high-keyed and flexible. The tones are full 
of animation, flexibility and fervor, and express all 
the delicate and finer degrees of thought and feeling. 

Abnormal development of this temperament is fatal 
to eloquence. Such a development is called the ner- 
vous temperament by pathologists. It is character- 
ized by emaciation of muscles and weakness of body. 
The nervous organization is morbidly sensitive, irri- 
table and impressible. No genuine eloquence can 
come from such a temperament because there is no 
sustaining power. These are the main temperaments. 
Their combinations also influence the style of elocu- 
tion ; but a knowledge of the primary temperaments 
will suggest their characteristics in combination. If 
a person of the motive temperament has a deep, gruff, 
bass voice and energetic delivery, and one of the vital 
a clear tenor voice with graceful delivery the motive- 
vital will have an elocution which partakes of the na- 
ture of the two. It will be characterized by distinct, 
forcible enunciation and a baritone voice. 

Yital-Mental. — In the vital-mental temperament we 
find a clear, distinct articulation ; full, sonorous tenor 
voice, high, flexible and impressive. The tones are 
pure, sweet, and expressive of every shade of emo- 
tion. It is eminently an emotional and passional 
temperament. A speaker with this temperament is 
full of life-energy and animation. The various emo- 
tions are easily awakened and rapid in transition. 
At one moment his voice is pleading, pathetic, beau- 



TEMPERAMENTS IN ORATORY. 367 

tiful ; at another aggressive, destructive, unlovely. 
His thoughts will not be solid nor deep, but they will 
be striking and original, and will seem more weighty 
because well delivered. His language is fluent and 
often florid ; gesture rapid, graceful and varied. 

Mental-Motive. — The elocution of the mental-mo- 
tive temperament is more energetic than that of the 
preceding but not so varied. The voice is high-keyed 
but less flexible and rich. Speakers of this tempera- 
ment have a marked individuality of expression, vig- 
orous and angular, not easily adapting the tones of 
voice to suit sudden changes of passion ; they are 
dramatic rather than oratorical. 

Mental- Yital. — This temperament offers a happy 
combination. It has all the keen discriminating men- 
tality of the mental temperament with the sustaining 
and susceptible power of the vital. A speaker with 
this temperament has a clear, sonorous voice and if 
the vital is in proportion to the mental there will be 
great reserve power. The conditions for direct breath- 
ing are good, full chest and abdomen, quick and un- 
obstructed circulation of the blood supplies an instan- 
taneous channel of vivicl sensibility. The emotions 
are easily awakened and rapidly flash into the coun- 
tenance and gestures. 

THE ORATORICAL TEMPERAMENT. 

The temperaments which we have just described 
are not oratorical in the highest sense ; they are more 
or less imperfect in the resources of elocution. There 
is an ideal temperament which arises from a proper 
combination of all the temperaments. This ideal com- 
bination possesses so many virtues that we may call 
it the temperament of greatness ; for nearly all great 
men have possessed a balanced organization. The 



368 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

oratorical temperament differs somewhat from the bal- 
anced temperament. It has a predominance of the 
vital and mental systems over the motive. The vital 
and mental are almost equally balanced, the motive 
not deficient, but second only to the other two. This 
is necessary ; for the orator must gain his triumphs 
in a moment ; he cannot plod and wait until thoughts 
and emotions arise. His ideas, thoughts and emo- 
tions must blaze out instantaneously, and find lan- 
guage with equal facility. The mental and vital con- 
ditions meet these requirements better than the mo- 
tive. The motive is firm, stolid, indifferent, not eas- 
ily moved. The mental is quick, keen, versatile and 
responsive to every thought and emotion. The vital 
is vigorous, round, sensitive, sustaining and reproduc- 
tive, and burns readily with passion. In the combi- 
nation of these qualities exist the highest conditions 
of impassioned eloquence. When the motive is not 
deficient, but only secondary to the others, the style 
of eloquence will be marked by depth, strength and 
endurance as well as brilliancy and versatility. The 
personal appearance of an orator of this temperament 
is grand and imposing. The body is well developed, 
round, full and symmetrical ; the face handsome, fea- 
tures regular and full of emotive expression ; the eyes 
vividly speak the passions of the soul. A large chest 
and full abdomen supply the necessary conditions for 
good breathing. The voice is neither baritone, tenor, 
nor bass, but seems to combine all qualities. It is 
more properly a passion-voice, a voice that readily 
expresses the most conflicting passions. It is hard, 
soft, sympathetic, threatening, angry, gentle, rapid, 
grand and overpowering almost at the same moment. 
Orators of this temperament are persuasive and 
magnetic. Voice, gesture, countenance and every 



TEMPERAMENTS IN ORATORY. 369 

attitude of the body conveys a current of magnetic 
eloquence from the speaker to the audience. The 
audience catch fire, respond, and victory is gained. 
The style is both oratorical and dramatic — instanta- 
neous bursts of passion and powerful scenic represen- 
tation. The brain is large, harmoniously developed 
with a predominance of the organs of language, ideal- 
ity, sublimity and comparison. Thought and emo- 
tion, depth, vigor and warmth equally combine in 
expression. This is the temperament of the great 
national orators. Natural eloquence must be full, 
round and comprehensive, and such qualities this 
temperament supplies. 

LYMPHATIC TEMPERAMENT. 

Some persons who have observed that orators gen- 
erally have a full habit of body are led to associate 
oratory with such a constitution. It is true that the 
bodily form of an orator is round, full and fleshy, but 
there is a vast difference between the oratorical tem- 
perament and the lymphatic which also has an abun- 
dance of flesh. This lymphatic constitution, which 
is entirely antagonistic to impassioned eloquence, 
is often mistaken for the vital or oratorical tempera- 
ment. It is dull mentally and physically indolent. 

The fullness of body, amounting to excessive cor- 
pulence, so far from being a sign of the vital tempe- 
rament indicates weak vitality, since this state of 
constitution is caused by the settling of the fluids 
and effete material under the skin ; hence the flesh 
is soft and flabby and the circulation feeble. The 
color of the skin reveals the difference between the 
lymphatic and the vital. The former being cold, 
pale and a dull, leaden color ; the latter blooming, 
warm and rosy. The voice in the lymphatic tempe- 



370 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

rament is feeble and monotonous ; face expression- 
less; gestures languid and uncertain. Large stature 
and fullness of body are conducive to eloquence if 
the quality of brain and body are good, otherwise 
small stature with good brain and nerve is better. 

Organic Quality is another distinguishing feature 
of the oratorical temperament. It is not a product 
of the mental temperament but is an organic charac- 
teristic which moulds even the temperaments them- 
selves. The very rudeness of the motive tempera- 
ment may be refined under its influence. It is hard 
to describe or tell what it is ; Ave witness its effects 
and signs and know it exists. It is characteristic of 
genius, especially in poetry and oratory. In addi- 
tion to temperament and the aesthetic faculties, the 
poet has a quality of brain and nerve which distin- 
guishes him from all others. Not every one who has 
large organs of ideality and sublimity and a good 
temperament becomes a great poet. 

This organic quality is inherited, it comes from a 
long line of ancestors and cannot be originated by 
education. It may be that education and training 
for ages has brought about this quality in some fam- 
ilies, each generation adding its quota of improvement 
to the general fineness of brain and nerve fibre. Cer- 
tain it is that the effect produced on the face by edu- 
cation resembles somewhat the signs indicative of 
organic quality. Education polishes rough features, 
makes them regular, sharp and classic. Organic 
quality has also this effect ; the features are fine, 
smooth and free from all roughness or irregularity. 
The hair is fine, the skin smooth and regular, the 
bones not porous but close and dense, and the flesh 
hard and firm. There is an expression beaming from 
the face and eyes hard to describe, but which indicates 



TEMPEBAMENTS IN OEATOEY. 371 

a quick intelligence, intuitive perception and sensitive 
nature. When organic quality is added to high brain 
and temperamental organization we have genius. 
Look at the poets: Burns, Byron, Milton, Shake- 
speare, and compare them with men even of the same 
temperamental and brain development and you will 
find a spiritual or supernatural expression on their 
countenance, an indescribable something which forces 
you to exclaim, " these are poets, the others are but 
ordinary men!" The same remark applies to orators, 
there is an organic fineness or spiritual quality of nerve 
and brain which at once separates them from ordi- 
nary men even otherwise favorably endowed. In the 
genuine orator there seems to be a native vigor of 
comprehension, a superb and almost supernatural 
grasp of ideas, an intensity of expression and a way 
of receiving and enunciating truth almost incompre- 
hensible to the Ordinary mind. Truths which men 
gather and arrange as they would pebbles or shells, 
without emotion, strike the mind of the orator with an 
overmastering power of pathos and sublimity. Facts 
which are apparently dry as dust to others, when taken 
into their minds burst forth like blooming oases in the 
desert. Since the highest gifts of eloquence depend 
upon the oratorical temperament the question natu- 
rally arises, is it possible to develop this tempera- 
ment ? - We answer, yes, within a certain limit. This 
limit is the natural tendency of the individual consti- 
tution. If a person is born with a tendency to the 
vital temperament, that temperament will prevail 
through life unless counteractive influences are em- 
ployed. If the motive lymphatic-mental predominates 
the growth will be in the direction of each respect- 
ively. While this is true of natural tendency, it is 
true that education can change or modify tempera- 



372 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ment in the progress of development from childhood 
to manhood. Moreover, all temperamental condi- 
tions are induced by circumstances, diet and manner 
of life. Even the inherited temperament is the re- 
sultant of the constitutional conditions brought about 
by the manner of life which the parents have led. In 
order then to develop the oratorical temperament it 
is necessary to know what are its characteristics and 
how they can be cultivated. One of the character- 
istics of the oratorical temperament is equilibrium of 
temperamental conditions ; an equal blending of the 
mental and vital with the motive systems. If one of 
these systems is deficient cultivate it and restrain the 
others. Suppose the vital is deficient, develop it by 
attention to those things which aid vitality : abun- 
dance of fresh air, good, wholesome farinaceous food, 
with beef, mutton and eggs, walking, running, breath- 
ing exercises so as to expand the chest and cause the 
blood to circulate freely. A genial and joyous dispo- 
sition ; a mind not burdened with the cares of life 
nor rendered sad by blighted affection, but strongly 
alive to the enjoyment of all the affections of love in 
their legitimate directions. In general, all intense 
mental and muscular labor should be avoided, two 
hours of play to one of work is conducive to this tem- 
perament. Avoid sedentary employments and ex- 
clusion from sunlight. 

If the mental temperament is deficient it may be 
developed by attention to whatever induces mentality. 
Whatever develops the brain and nervous system 
develops the mental temperament, hence, systematic 
study, habits of close thinking, devotion to intellectual 
pursuits and the study and practice of art or litera- 
ture. The mental temperament is also largely devel- 
oped by surroundings which appeal to the taste, beau- 



TEMPERAMENTS IN ORATORY. 373 

tiful scenery, pictures, gardens, landscapes and culti- 
vated society. A diet calculated to nourish nerve and 
brain tissues rather than bone and muscle should be 
sought. Fish, eggs, poultry and game, nuts and milk, 
and all articles of food which abound in phosphates 
are thought to aid the growth of brain and nerves. 

While the equal or harmonious development of the 
vital and mental systems is essential to the oratorical 
temperament, yet the motive must not be greatly de- 
ficient. When such is the case it may be cultivated 
by attention to whatever induces motive conditions. 
Choose laborious occupations, such as develop bone 
and muscle and harden the cellular tissues ; camp- 
life, active, ambitious and sententious or warlike 
occupations which call out the aggressive and execu- 
tive instincts ; hardships, privations, exposure to cli- 
matic changes and a dry, stimulating atmosphere, all 
tend to develop the motive temperament. 

The diet best suited to nourish the motive system 
is one composed of the muscular fibres of animals, 
free from fatty material ; bread made from unbolted 
wheat and substances containing phosphate of lime. 

Not only is the temperament which we have de- 
scribed highly conducive to impassioned eloquence 
but it is also the temperament most favorable to 
health. The more perfect the organization the better 
will be the conditions of health. The oratorical tem- 
perament is nearly balanced and perfect ; the Tiealth 
conditions are almost perfect. A marked deficiency 
or abnormal development of any one temperament 
leads to great evils, but a well-balanced constitution 
is the basis of power and every good quality. Every 
speaker has felt that there are times when he can 
speak better than others, when his thoughts flow 
freely and his eye and hand spontaneously express 



B74 ELOCUTION AND OBATOEY. 

the emotions of his soul, when it is really a pleasure 
for him to speak. This favorable mood is chiefly de- 
pendent upon vitality ; for full vitality imparts to the 
voice a full round quality, and renders it flexible and 
expressive of every emotion ; the want of it enfeebles 
the delivery in a corresponding manner. It imparts 
animation or vivacity to thought and delivery ; it ren- 
ders every emotion and passion susceptible to their 
awakening objects, and the speaker performs every 
mental process with ease and facility. The most ac- 
cessible means for the cultivation of the conditions 
favorable to health is to develop the vital tempera- 
ment. Excessive mental and physical labor before 
speaking should be avoided. The diet also should 
be regulated according to the constitution of each. 
Some derive strength from a full meal, others can 
speak better having taken a cup of tea or coffee on an 
empty stomach. Each speaker must regulate his diet 
to suit himself, for no general rule can be given. We 
think, however, that gormandizing before speaking 
will so overload the stomach that the circulation will 
be impeded, a drowsy torpor induced upon the brain 
and nerves, and thus true eloquence will be impos- 
sible. On the other hand, an empty stomach may in- 
duce weakness and irritability. For a man in good 
health, his usual habits are best. 



CHAPTEK XVIII. 



A CONSIDERATION OF THE OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE PROPER 
EXPRESSION OF THE MENTAL STATES IN DELIVERY; 
ALSO THE EXPRESSION OF THE MENTAL STATES IN 
MEMORITER READING AND EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 

Power in delivery depends upon the energetic or 
passionate activity of the mental states. The ob- 
structions are mental and physical. 1. The mental 
state may not be sufficiently vivid to prompt the 
right gesture or vocal sound. 2. The mind may be 
occupied with a feeling, thought, or idea foreign to 
the one intended immediately to be expressed. 
The physical may be due to a lack of discipline of 
the organs of expression, an uncultivated voice, a 
rigid and unchangeable countenance, an awkward 
and immovable body. The remedy here is the di- 
rect cultivation of the weak faculties. The method 
of development will be found in the chapter on the 
cultivation of the emotions. It is the aim of the ora- 
tor to communicate to his audience the dominant 
states of his mind with the view of persuasion. His 
(375) 



376 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ability to do this will depend greatly upon how far he 
is himself impressed with his subject and the extent 
of his preparation. If the matter of his discourse 
has not been carefully meditated upon he may be en- 
grossed with internal and solitary reflection and thus 
forget his audience and soliloquize when he ought to 
speak directly to the men and women before him. 
His speech will be a monologue rather than a 
dialogue. If the thought has been meditated upon., 
the general plan and outline of the discourse laid 
out, the obstruction will most likely be removed. 
Whatever thoughts may occur at the moment will 
partake of the character of direct address, because 
suggested probably by the present need of his audi- 
ence. The obstruction may arise from a failure on 
the part of the orator to seize the right word at the 
time, or to attach to words and clauses their due 
meaning. The connection between thought and lan- 
guage and between language and delivery is so inti- 
mate that they can only be conceivably separated. 

The truth is, words are not language unless when 
spoken. They are dead signs, unexpressive symbols, if 
the breath of vocality does not penetrate their soul. The 
stress, the emphasis, the tone which clings to each 
word is the vital part of that word ; if the mental 
feeling is right, if there is no abstracting thought in 
the mind these words will leap forth with the proper 
seal of vocal expression, but the speaker whose voice 
has not been trained and who knows that he ought to 
emphasize the most important thoughts, no matter 
how much he may pride himself on his neglect of elo- 
cution and his natural style of delivery, will fail to 
convey the highest impression of the mental state he 
is delivering. On the other hand, if an orator knows 
that he possesses a flexible, well-trained voice cap- 



EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 377 

able of infusing vocal soul into the lifeless sym- 
bols of thought, he will not think of his delivery at 
the time, but as each word or clause rushes upon his 
mind, its meaning will induce appropriate feeling and 
this will stimulate the proper tone and gesture. 

1. It must be evident to all that the effect of the 
condition of mind called earnestness, is to clothe a 
speaker's thoughts with vocal expression. If !the 
speaker is in earnest, if his soul is in the case, the 
expression will be earnest. Earnestness is as neces- 
sary to those who have no elocutionary training as to 
those who have ; no rantcan take its place. 

2. Attention to the meaning of words stimulates 
rather than retards the right vocal expression. If the 
speaker weighs at the moment of delivery the impor- 
tance of certain words and clauses, the perception of 
their meaning will produce the right mental state and 
correct vocal expression will naturally follow. On 
the other hand if he neglects to think of the meaning 
he will not deliver words and clauses with correct 
emphasis, but his delivery will be lifeless and full of 
incorrect expression. 

3. It is wonderful how, even in the minutest respect, 
the mental state controls the ^delivery. We know 
that inflection expresses the mind's state or condition 
with respect to doubt or certainty. Doubt takes the 
rising inflection, whereas certainty takes the falling. 

Suppose, for instance, that the speaker in the 
moment of delivery begins to doubt concerning some 
portion of the matter of his discourse whether to re- 
ject it or not or concerning the proper mode in which 
to deliver a word or phrase, that hesitation will be 
conveyed to his audience, and will viciously effect 
his delivery, because it will convey a different mental 
state to that intended. 



378 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

A CONSIDERATION OF THE LEADING MENTAL OPERATIONS 
IN ALL GOOD ORATORY. 

Persuasion. — The first element in persuasion is to 
have something of importance to say and to think and 
feel at the moment of speaking just what is desired 
to be expressed. It is evident that if an orator wishes 
to persuade his audience to accept his views he must 
feel assured in his own mind that his principles are 
worthy of acceptance, and in the moment of delivery 
he should be so engrossed with this consideration 
that all other thoughts, except those relating to the 
subject on hand, will be suppressed. In order to ac- 
complish this there should be power in the thought. 
Feeble and lifeless thoughts beget a weak delivery 
and thus kill persuasion. There is a vital connection 
between thought and expression both in its rhetorical 
and oral forms. Imaginative thought clothes itself 
in imaginative language, and emotive thought dons 
the garb of passion in elocutionary as well as in rhe- 
torical expression. The character of intellectual 
thought betrays itself in the delivery. Clean and 
precise thoughts inspire distinct and exact elocution, 
whilst blurred and muddy thoughts express them- 
selves in blurred and indistinct articulation. There 
never was a time in the annals of oratory more exact- 
ing than the present in respect to the careful selec- 
tion by an orator of facts and thoughts. The lecture- 
platform, pulpit, and press publish thought and in- 
formation every day which is gathered and appro- 
priated by millions of people. J Facts declared new 
in Boston will be old in New York in a few days ; 
regarded as original they may be as old as Methu- 
salem. 

This careful selection of material gives the orator 



EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 379 

confidence that he has something valuable to impart. 
Such confidence is essential to delivery with power. 
An orator who comes before his audience with the 
conviction that he is delivering something of little 
importance will have a feeble kind of elocution and 
fail of persuasion. With critical minds it is difficult 
to maintain this confidence, such minds are prone to 
regard their own productions as feeble, they are dis- 
satisfied with all they do and so go before an audience 
trembling and fearful of the result. This critical taste 
must be satisfied by good material, well expressed or 
restrained within natural bounds. 

The orator's language and manner of speaking 
should be that of direct address. It should resemble 
dialogue not monologue. He should choose the most 
powerful thoughts and feelings in order to awaken 
the feelings of his audience. If the speaker has 
become fully awakened to the importance of follow- 
ing the states above enumerated he will have a 
delivery clothed with power. These constitute the 
sole operations which ought to appear to the minds 
of the audience. 

There are certain states of mind produced by the 
peculiar situation of the orator when addressing an 
audience which ought not to be visible in delivery. 
These are, timidity or stage fright, dread of failure, 
anxiety to make an impression, love of applause, 
egotism, which displays itself in moments of success 
or in the utterance of what the speaker regards as 
the most important and original thoughts of his dis- 
course. All these operations ought to be carried on 
as sub-processes and not permitted to interfere with 
or color the leading states of mind. Bad delivery is 
more often caused by the predominance of these sub- 
processes than wrong methods of elocutionary train- 



380 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ing. The students who neglect vocal training and 
the study of oratory generally develop a delivery full 
of all the vices which these sub-processes produce. 
Correct and vigorous expression depends much upon 
the capability of feeling at the moment of speaking 
the thing desired to be conveyed to the audience. 

THE EXPRESSION OF THE MENTAL STATES IN READING, 

MEMORITER AND EXTEMPORE DELIVERY, AND SUB- 

PROCESSES INCIDENTAL TO EACH METHOD. 

There are three methods of presenting the mate- 
rial of a discourse. Write it out beforehand and read 
it from manuscript. Deliver it from memory. Ex- 
temporize. Each method has found able advocates. 

Extempore Speaking has the greatest weight of au- 
thority among writers on oratory, although the great- 
est orators of ancient and modern times have not be- 
longed to the extempore class. We will not enter into 
discussion respecting the merits and disadvantages 
of each, but examine them from our peculiar stand- 
point with the view of giving special directions for 
each which may be of utility. In all speaking, from 
the memory or from manuscript or extempore, the 
object is to convey faithfully the mental state which 
agitates the mind, and according to our definition, 
when that is done correctly and persuasively there is 
eloquence. Some have maintained that a sermon or 
discourse read from a manuscript is not eloquent, but 
according to our definition, it is if it produces the 
desired effect upon the mind of the listener. 

Reading from Manuscript if rightly performed is a 
department of oratory. The objections urged against 
reading from manuscript have not always been put with 
reason. Because some have not the skill, gift or na- 
tural genius to read from manuscript so as to awaken 




Emanuel Swedenborg, a " seer" and 
the founder of the New Jerusalem 
Church, was born at Stockholm, Jan. 
29th, 1G88, and died in London, March 
29th, 1772. 

Philip Melancthon, was born at 
Bretheim, February lGth, 1497, and 
died at Witternberg, Germany, April 
19th, 15G8'. He was a man of great 
classical erudition and associated 
with Martin Luther. 

John Wesley, the founder of the 
Methodist Episcopal denomination, 
was born at Epworth, England, on 
the 17th of June, 1703 ; died at the 
age of 83, March 2d, 1791. 

Jonathan Edwards, D.D., L.L.D., 
born 5th of October, 1703, at Windsor, 
Connecticut, celebrated as a meta- 
physician and speculative philoso- 
pher of the Calvinistic school ; died 
at Princeton, New Jersey, March 22d, 
1758, aged 54. 

Thomas Chalmers, D.D., an elo- 
quent Scottish pulpit orator and the 
first instituted moderator of the 
"Free Church of Scotland ;" born at 



Anstruther, March 17th, 1780, and 
died at Morningside, May 31st, 1847. 

Stephen H. Tyng, D.D., an eminent 
American Episcopalian minister, 
born at Newburyport, Mass., March 
1st, 1800. Died at Tarrytown, N. Y., 
September 3d, 1885. 

John Hughes, D.D., an American 
Roman Catholic prelate, born in the 
north of Ireland, 1798. died January 
3d, 1864. 

Richard S. Storrs, Jr.. D.D., au- 
thor and editor, a prominent divine 
of the American Congregational 
Church, born at Braintree, Massa- 
chusetts, August 21st, 1821. 

Lyman Beecher, D.D.,, an Amer- 
ican Presbyterian clergyman, born 
at New Haven, Conn., October 12, 
1775 ; died in Rrooklyn, January 10, 
1863, aged 87 years. 

William E. Channing, D.D., a dis- 
tinguished preacher of the Unitarian 
persuasion, born at Newport, R. I., 
April 7, 1780, died at Bennington, Vt., 
Oct. 2d, 1842. 



From New Physiognomy, or Signs of Character, as manifested through 
Temperament and External Forms, and especially in the "Human Face 
Divine." By Samuel R. Wells. 



EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 381 

the emotions and passions of the listener, does not 
prove that that method of presentation is not eloquent. 
There have been orators who have produced even 
greater effects by the delivery of written discourse 
than those who spoke extempore. Dr. Chalmers al- 
ways wrote his sermons. Demosthenes and Cicero 
wrote out their speeches and spoke them from mem- 
ory. We cannot deny the effect of their delivery, 
for Demosthenes stood unrivalled for eloquence. 
If speech delivered from memory and manuscript is 
to be denied the title of eloquence, then the greatest 
orators of ancient and modern times are necessarily 
cut off from the title of orators. This cannot be. 
The advocates of extempore speaking have in their 
zeal greatly exaggerated the extempore method. 
A more just estimation of each method can be ob- 
tained by a consideration of the basis of all eloquent 
speaking which is the expression of the mental states. 
We must therefore consider how far each method is 
capable of expressing these mental states correctly 
and impressively. The mental state may not be suffi- 
ciently active to make itself felt in expression or the 
vocal language, for want of flexibility, may not re- 
spond. That is, the mental state, idea, emotion or 
passion as the case may be, must be vividly present 
to the mind before it can express itself. The vocal 
sounds must also be ready to express the mental 
state when it arises. When these functions are not 
performed the delivery is imperfect and fails to be 
impressive. Extempore speaking and speaking from 
manuscript when judged by this criterion have a re- 
lative rather than a natural superiority, and it will 
be found that some orators can speak more effect- 
ively by one process than by the other. That read- 
ing and speaking from manuscript fail to produce 



382 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

good effects is not because of the method but because 
the speaker may not have the gifts necessary to 
make him a good memoriter speaker. As we have 
already pointed out, oratory depends upon natural 
gifts, and if these are wanting it is in vain to expect 
eloquence. Almost every person can write verses, 
but few can write poetry. 

Many can read manuscript, who have not the gifts 
to deliver it effectively. These gifts are a quick sus- 
ceptibility to comprehend thought and passion and a 
readiness to adapt the voice to the expression of the 
mental states. How few good readers have such an 
endowment. Before depreciating the method of de- 
livering a speech from manuscript, we should bear in 
mind that such a method is likely to attract a vast 
crowd of men who have no oratorical power and would 
fail in any method. It requires a good memory to 
learn and deliver a speech without manuscript, and to 
speak extempore requires many oratorical gifts ; but 
to simply utter words from manuscript as many do, re- 
quires no oratorical talent at all. The method of de- 
livering from manuscript receives a vast horde of dis- 
ciples who should be entirely rejected from the field 
of eloquence. Is it any wonder then that the method 
of reading should be regarded in so low a light when 
the great number who practice such a method were 
never born to be good readers ? The truth is, that 
although reading from manuscript has many disad- 
vantages it is almost as capable as any other to reach 
the highest flights of eloquence. There have been 
good readers,eminent elocutionists, who have produced 
the very highest effects of eloquence by their reading. 
It is perfectly legitimate to read the exposition of a 
mathematical problem or a summary of statistics, but 
the expression of the passions should never be read, 



EXTEMrORE DELIVERY. 383 

they should be spoken. Is not written discourse 
different from extempore ? It is, but it ought not 
to be so. Oratorical discourses should be clothed in 
the same garb when written as when spoken. It 
should assume all the conversational forms of expres- 
sion which we pointed out as characteristics of the 
oratorical style in the chapter on the expression of 
the mental states. Speeches intended for delivery 
should be written with an audience in view. Essays 
are not in good form for delivery, yet nearly all ser- 
mons are prepared like essays, as if designed for pub- 
lication and not to fire the blood of men when thun- 
dered from the pulpit. But can one write oratorically ? 
Yes, if he has the genius for it. Is it possible to write 
out a sermon in the oratorical style without the presence 
of an audience ? It has been successfully achieved 
by many of the greatest orators. Dr. Chalmers always 
wrote with the presence of an audience to inspire and 
shape his phraseology and ideas. It requires a stronger 
imagination and a mind more susceptible to emotional 
fervor than in extempore speaking. The orator who 
prepares his speech must have the power to stimulate 
his own emotions and passions, to realize every situa- 
tion likely to occur, the effect of certain emotions on 
his audience and everything that is likely to take 
place in the delivery of such a discourse in presence 
of an audience. Much has been said about the oppor- 
tunities an extempore speaker has for taking advan- 
tage of circumstances, but a vivid imagination can 
realize beforehand all of these circumstances. What 
is the chief merit of a writer of fiction ? His vivid im- 
agination, which portrays scenes with the langiiage of 
reality. The orator who writes out his discourse be- 
forehand ought to have the same gift. He ought to 
be able to realize the presence of his audience, to 



384 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

fancy that he is looking them in the face, that he sees 
their countenances change, that he marks their ges- 
tures of approval or disapproval. His own heart 
should burn with emotion and passion. He should 
feel the sorrows of his people and the tears should 
flow from his eyes and mingle with the ink that flows 
from his pen. That there are men who can do this, 
history proves. 

A discourse written under the influence of emotion 
and passion cannot fail to interest, even if read, unless 
the delivery is poor. If the language is not oratorical 
or if the delivery is not appropriate to the language, 
the two elements of genuine eloquence are wanting, 
and such a deficiency would destroy the efficacy of 
any method ; but if these two elements are present, 
reading from manuscript may be almost as effective 
as extempore delivery. 

The speaker should be familiar with his manu- 
script, so that he can take in the clauses by a single 
glance. This requires some skill and practice, yet it 
can be accomplished. It requires a good memory 
for phraseology, a whole phrase or clause should be 
taken in with one downward glance of the eye and 
such glance should only be made at a period, or at 
the end of a phrase, never after words. If a speaker 
has acquired this easy way of taking in the sense of 
his manuscript, his eye can generally be fixed upon 
his audience and he can watch the expression of the 
countenance of each. There are orators who never 
appear to glance at their manuscript at all and speak 
as if they had none. This, of course, requires some 
natural gifts — such orators speak ideas, thoughts and 
emotions not words. With a glance of the eye they 
catch a few leading words and these suggest the 
whole thought, which is immediately kindled in their 



EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 385 

niind and the language is oxtered almost as if im- 
promptu with the proper tone, emphasis, inflection 
and pause. The bad reader of manuscript reads 
words not ideas. He keeps his eye on the paper and 
utters the words he finds there, sometimes rapidly 
and sometimes slowly, now and then stumbling and 
misplacing words, and oftentimes when he loses one 
word he cannot supply it. The reader, on the other 
hand, who has a talent for speaking gathers the 
thought rather than the words, and when he mis- 
places or fails to catch a word he readily supplies an- 
other and it is not observed. An orator will achieve 
greater success in reading from manuscript if he 
practices to some extent extempore and memoritor 
speaking ; for it will be found that these methods 
develop his memory for words and thoughts, so that 
the general train of his thought and phraseology of 
his discourse will be easily grasped, with but an oc- 
casional glance at his manuscript. TVe should also 
advise him to accustom himself to leave his manu- 
script, especially when he is under the influence of 
passion or when a new thought has dawned upon 
him or when some unforeseen occurrence in his audi- 
ence demands a new illustration or home-thrust sug- 
gested by the occasion, and deliver such in words 
suggested by the moment. There are times also, es- 
pecially as the interest of his audience begins to flag, 
when he can add interest and impressiveness to his 
discourse by stepping aside and improvising some of 
the arguments or illustrations instead of reading 
them. It may be objected to this process that the 
harmony of the discourse will be broken. Not at all; 
the discourse should be in the oratorical style, and 
that means the natural expression of the passions, 
hence the improvisations will not differ much from 



386 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

the written style. We protest against all attempts to 
model written speech after any artificial principles of 
harmony. The true principles which should regulate 
oratorical discourse, and for that matter all discourses, 
should be the language of the mental states. 

If the orator in the preparation of his speech has 
endeavored to awaken these mental states, his improv- 
isations will not differ much, especially if made when 
passion has full sway, but to be restrained by one's 
manuscript is really painful. After such outbursts it 
may be necessary to return to the manuscript ; how 
can this be done without distracting attention ? By 
starting to read from your paper at a new topic, there 
will be no more breaking up of unity than if after 
speaking some time without notes, one looks at his 
notes to find what comes next. Reading from manu- 
script has many advantages, and as we advance in 
civilization and knowledge it will be more in demand. 
There are subjects which may be best treated by a 
written discourse. Especially deep, philosophical 
subjects where profundity of thought and clearness 
of expression are more imiDortant than persuasion. 
There are also poetical subjects which require imag- 
inative figures and language and rhythmical arrange- 
ment of clauses to set them forth, without which they 
would be very tame. In the preparation of such sub- 
jects great care can be bestowed on the thought and 
phraseology and in the delivery of them. Their 
melody will hold the interest. For all other purposes 
memoriter and extempore methods are best. 

Memoriter Delivery. — In this method the sub-pro- 
cesses which must be carried on without interrupting 
the expression of the mental states are, the awaken- 
ing of the thought, emotion and passion at the mo- 



EXTEMPOKE DELIVEBY. 387 

ment of delivery, and the recollection of the words. 
Those who have the vital temperament are highly or- 
atorical by nature, with a good memory for thought 
and phraseology, are constitutionally fitted to excel 
in this method. That genuine oratory may result from 
this method no one can deny, for nearly all the great 
orators have adopted it. That they sometimes made 
good extempore addresses does not prove extempore 
speech the best. They found that memoriter dis- 
course on the whole was more effectual or more in 
harmony with their natnre or they never would have 
adopted it. Nearly all great speakers have laid the 
foundation for a good extempore style by beginning 
with the memoriter. For such a practice naturally 
strengthens the memory for both thought and words ; 
trains the mind to discriminate between weak and 
powerful thoughts, elegant and inelegant expressions, 
and in general to form a correct idea of the beauty 
and arrangement of clauses and words. That many 
speakers commit speeches and deliver them parrot- 
like, without any expression, is no argument against 
memoriter speaking ; it only shows that such speakers 
have no natural talent for this kind of speaking. This 
method requires that the orator should first prepare 
his speech in an oratorical form and then commit it 
to memory, not as many do like the multiplication 
table in a rhythmical repetition, but by repeating it 
under the influence of the emotions and passions 
which it expresses. That is, the orator should learn 
to commit and deliver thoughts not words. And in 
order to do this effectually he should learn his oration 
by speaking it offhand while under the influence of 
the emotion it contains: He should constantly brood 
over its sentiments so that they burn in his mind and 
deliver them when they are clamoring for utterance. 



S8B 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



The reason why so many fail to speak a written 
speech from memory is because they learn it by re- 
peating the words and phrases as if they were so many 
Latin constructions which could only be fastened in 
the mind by constant repetition. Such a process kills 
all true expression and breeds disgust for the written 
discourse. Moreover, the delivery of a speech learned 
in this way, is unnatural, tame and unimpressive. 
The pauses natural to extempore speech are omitted 
and words are grouped into phrases in an artificial 
way without due regard to their oratorical relation. 
The general delivery has the appearance of a school- 
boy's recitation. The proper way to avoid this tame 
and artificial delivery is to memorize first the thought 
let that awaken the mental states, then the recalling 
of the words will be more easy, and they should be 
pronounced as the feeling thus awakened dictates. 
In this way natural pauses will be made between the 
phrases and the words will be the elocutionary lan- 
guage of each mental state, and memorized speech 
will have all the appearance of fluent improvisation. 
That it is possible to arrive at this perfection of de- 
livery is proven by the elocution of Demosthenes, 
Cicero, Whitefield and all great actors. 

By diligent practice great actors learn to speak 
the words of the characters they personate as if 
improvised at the moment. It may be objected to 
memoriter delivery that it is not oratory but splendid 
acting, and also that there is something repulsive in 
delivering stale indignation, emotion and passion. 
To this it may be replied with truth that what a man 
genuinely feels is oratory not acting ; and if our 
method is pursued the orator will feel his memorized 
speech and utter it with the earnestness of conviction. 
All acting is not mere feigning of passion as is com- 



EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 389 

monly asserted. Many actors feel intensely the pas- 
sions they delineate. The reply of the great actor to 
the bishop, when the latter asked him why the theatre 
was crowded and the church empty, illustrates this 
truth : " We speak fiction as if it were truth, while 
you speak truths as if they were fiction." Actors 
have been known to shed tears while they were speak- 
ing, and memoriter speakers may also genuinely feel 
even what they have prepared beforehand. 

Now as regards the argument that prepared speech 
is objectionable because it leads to the delivery of 
stale thoughts. This has long been regarded as an 
unanswerable argument against the delivery of 
written discourse. With all due respect for the judg- 
ment of so high an authority as Sidney Smith we are 
inclined to think that it has more wit than truth. 
Such an objection could be raised against the best 
compositions in our language. There are minds so 
susceptible to emotion that they burn with passion 
when they read Shakespeare, and the more often they 
read the same passage the more their emotions are 
kindled. Shakespeare and Milton are many centuries 
old, yet are they less powerful to awaken feeling ? 
Is the indignation of Macbeth ov Satan less real be- 
cause expressed in poetry long ago ? There is no 
human passion or indignation but what is old. Love 
is the same to-day as yesterday, and truth, if it is of 
any value, should be as pregnant with emotions to- 
morrow as it was years ago. So the thoughts, emo- 
tions and passions of a memoriter speech ought to 
awaken persuasion many weeks after its composition. 

It has been asserted that memoriter speech will be 
cold, but there are men so constituted that such a 
speech will cause them to burn like a volcano. Per- 
fection of thought, brilliant imagery and words re- 



390 ELOCUTION AND OKATOttY. 

dolent with music have irresistible charms for some 
minds. Memoriter speech should be made as perfect 
as a poem, for perfect composition is more easily 
learned and never fails to stir the emotional nature. 
What can ever make Milton and Shakespeare stale? 
It was said of Whitefield that his sermons were more 
persuasive when delivered for the twentieth time. It 
is not our aim to trumpet the praise of memoriter de- 
livery. Only a few well-endowed minds can excel in 
this kind of oratory, for it has many grave draw- 
backs. It requires a wonderful memory for thoughts 
and words, a very impassioned nature, and excellent 
elocutionary powers. It is not sufficient that the 
orator should declaim his sermon or oration with 
fluency, but he must speak it as if it were spontaneous. 
This is not easy, there are hundreds who can read or 
extemporize acceptably for one who can speak im- 
pressively from memory. By its very nature memori- 
ter speaking is not adapted for every occasion but 
only for grand occasions where the highest flights of 
oratory are expected. It seems well adapted for the 
popular lecture platform. Popular lectures delivered 
under the auspices of lyceum bureaus are expected 
to be perfect in composition and delivery. Such ex- 
cellence can be more readily acquired by the memori- 
ter than by any other method ; and as the orator 
travels from town to town delivering the same lecture 
the task of memorizing cannot be burdensome. But 
even on the lecture platform the orator should be able 
to break away from his memorized discourse into 
outbursts of extempore delivery. 

The advantage of extempore over read or memo- 
riter discourse has been generally admitted by writers 
on eloquence. It can hardly be doubted that the ex- 
temporaneous method is the most natural. A good 



EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 391 

extempore speaker can hold the attention of his 
audience better than one who reads or speaks from 
memory, and besides it offers certain advantages 
which the other systems do not. Since the task of 
writing and committing to memory is avoided, a min- 
ister has more time to devote to other duties. He 
grows in knowledge because he has time to study and 
read, while those who read or recite their sermons 
have but little leisure since all their time is devoted 
to writing and memorizing. 

Extempore speakers are notorious for inconsistent 
expressions. They are always in trouble with news- 
paper reporters, whom they accuse of erroneously re- 
porting their words. The truth is, reporters may 
sometimes give wrong impressions of the speaker's 
meaning, but the speaker himself is often to blame. 
In the height of his enthusiasm he is liable to use ob- 
jectionable phrases, strong and even unchaste lan- 
guage, which though impressive at the time never- 
theless has an ugly appearance in print. An extem- 
pore speaker is also liable to be carried away by the 
enthusiasm of his audience into clap-trap and super- 
ficial expressions designed to amuse his audience. 
Good extempore speakers are not common. Far too 
many deal in commonplace remarks, expletives, plati- 
tudes, verbosity and empty repetitions. These may 
be avoided by careful preparation, but the tendency 
with most extempore speakers, when they have aban- 
doned all fear of an audience and have reached a cer- 
tain glib fluency, is to neglect previous preparation. 

Extempore speaking for the first three or four years 
requires more extensive preparation than written 
discourse. It is not enough that a speaker should 
acquire an easy style of talking ; that, will never sway 
a large audience. There must be profundity of 



392 ELOCUTION AND OllATORY. 

thought, passionate fervor and enthusiasm of deliv- 
ery iu order to convince and persuade. Such quali- 
ties can only be acquired by careful preparation for 
at least a few years. All the great orators of ancient 
and modern times have been most faithful students 
of oratory. They carefully prepared their discourses 
and by thorough preparation laid the basis for a good 
extempore style. This course trained the mind to 
discriminate, to make choice of the most appropriate 
words and the most impressive forms of delivery, and 
to forecast rapidly the outline of a discourse. Such 
was the preparation of Demosthenes, Cicero, Chat- 
ham, Burke, Whitefield, Erskine, Sheridan, Brougham, 
Eufus Choate and others. Some of them very seldom 
spoke without previous preparation and many of 
them always wrote their speeches and committed 
them to memory. Some confound extempore speak- 
ing with inspirational, and demand that, as in the 
latter, there should be no preparation. But such a 
procedure would lead to the very worst of faults. 
There is no such a thing as truth drawn from the 
clouds. An orator can only speak that which he has 
acquired by study or reflection. Truths weigh down 
upon him in the excitement of the moment, but such 
truths were in his mind as skeletons or at least the ba- 
sis on which they rest. All mental truth is the prod- 
uct of the mind's cogitations or memorizings. And 
all that inspirational speaking can accomplish is the 
uniting of partial gleams of truth into unity or the 
suggesting of their most appropriate expression. 

Inspirational Speaking should be relegated to spir- 
itual meetings or the fury of the sybils. No intelligent 
speaker will trust himself to such a method. The 
evils of inspirational speaking may become evident 
to any intelligent person who listens for a num- 



EXTEMPORE DELIVERY. 393 

ber of consecutive evenings to a trance medium or a 
temperance advocate. The most common or trite 
truths are set forth night after night with muddy 
verbosity and empty platitudes. True extempore 
speaking must have its foundation laid in exten- 
sive knowledge, careful meditation and reflection on 
all the truths of the subject-matter. Such a prepara- 
tion will be found to heighten the fervor which comes 
from inspirational speaking. . 

It should always be remembered that the highest 
effects of oratory are not obtained by outbursts of 
empty excitement. There must be thought and genu- 
ine passion ; and these are compatible only with 
careful preparation. Such preparation may not go 
beyond a simple analysis of the subject-matter, the 
grouping together of related thoughts and the fore- 
casting of certain suitable illustrations. Such a prep- 
aration, however, will enable an orator to make his 
discourse weighty and convincing, while he is ready 
to take advantage of inspirational fervor. Moreover, 
such preparation will enable a speaker to make ad- 
dresses upon all subjects without repeating himself. 
He will grow in knowledge and in power of express- 
ion. The inspirational orator on the other hand can 
only speak upon a very limited number of themes, 
and he is very soon exhausted. 

Every kind of knowledge is valuable to the speaker 
but especially such as develop thoughts and supply 
illustrations, for in the moment of speaking it is won- 
derful how readily old truths and facts arise in the 
mind and fit appropriately the discourse. The speaker 
must be able to take advantage of these and of new 
thoughts which may arise to set forth his arguments. 
In the preparation of his subject he should train his 
mind not only to analyze the thought but even the 



394 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

expression. Words and phrases are not meaningless 
symbols ; they are crystalized thought. It is very 
common to declaim against words as if they were 
ornamental trumpery, but you cannot find a word 
which does not express some thought, emotion, or 
passion. Words are absolutely necessary to the ex- 
pression of thought, and they fail to impress only 
when erroneously selected, arranged, or not suffi- 
ciently expressive of the subject-matter. Some words 
are full of fire and beauty. Some suggest thought 
which has been hidden for ages. Some are so en- 
deared to us by association that they speak like a 
trumpet. Some recall the nursery, a mother's voice, 
the happy days of childhood, and the most eventful 
scenes in our lives. Some are full of passion and 
power, of argument and suggestive meaning. There 
are words which rightly pronounced thrill an audience 
more powerfully than the most lengthy argument. 
Let the orator be careful about his diction, and when 
he is thus careful he is also gathering and discrimi- 
nating between thoughts. Commonplace words never 
move an audience. Words degraded by mean as- 
sociations should be avoided. There are words which 
bear the signs of dissipation as clearly as the human 
face, they would recall only scenes of evil and should 
never find a place in genuine oratory. 

The most powerful argument and the most pathetic 
story may fail to convince or persuade if set forth in 
unimpressive phraseology. Observe the difference 
in the mere telling of a story. Some speakers will so 
clothe the principal details with imagery and sugges- 
tive phraseology that the story is interesting. Others 
again will give but the bare outline, and the story fails 
to raise emotion. The orator should carefully note 
the details of an argument or story, which by their 



EXTEMPOEE DELIVERY. 395 

enumeration heighten the interest and evoke the sym- 
pathy of an audience. It is true that many speakers 
do this without thinking of the phraseology, and that 
a born orator will naturally set forth his argument in 
an eloquent style ; but, we are seeking the principles 
which underlie eloquence, in order that the inexperi- 
enced extempore speaker may avoid the faults of 
rapid expression and develop a more persuasive style. 
Attention to such details for a few years will enable 
a speaker to go before an audience and speak fluently, 
impressively and passionately without much previous 
preparation. The orator should not confine himself 
exclusively to any one method, but make use of all, 
extempore, memoriter and reading from manuscript. 
Each has an influence upon the development of style, 
and a good style will be more readily formed by a 
careful attention to the peculiarities of each. The ver- 
bosity of the extempore style will be held in check by 
the written ; impressiveness and elegance of elocution 
will L be cultivated by the memoriter method. There 
are occasions which require one method in preference 
to the others ; the orator should be able to take ad- 
vantage of such occasions. The practice of great 
orators is in favor of the most extensive preparation, 
and if such orators as Demosthenes, Cicero, Borda- 
lou and Whitefield found it necessary to resort to 
careful preparation, modern orators should not neg- 
lect such preparation, even if they have an offhand fa- 
cility of speech. 



CHAPTEE XIX. 

PHYSIOLOGY OF THE VOICE. 
THE ORGANS OF VOICE. 

Musical sound is produced by vibrations occurring 
at regular intervals and in rapid succession. We can 
see the vibrations by watching the strings of any 
stringed instrument while it is being played, and we 
can feel them by gently touching a sounding bell. 
The sound can be stopped by holding the bell so as 
to prevent the vibrations, and this shows that the 
sound is caused by the vibrations. The vibration of 
the instrument causes the air which surrounds it to 
vibrate, and these vibrations reaching our ears make 
us conscious of the sound. Without the surrounding 
air to convey them no sound could be heard. Vibra- 
tions are simple and compound. Simple vibrations 
are those produced when a string or sounding body 
vibrates through its whole length ; compound vibra- 
tions are those where the vibrations are not only 
through the whole length of the string, but also in 
segments. The tone produced by the whole vibra- 
tion is called the prime tone, and those produced by 
the vibrations of the segments, over-tones or partials. 
(396) 



THE OKGANS OF VOICE. 397 

Simple vibrations produce simple tones; compound 
vibrations produce compound tones. Simple tones 
are soft, pleasing in sound, and free from all rough- 
ness, but they lack power and are dull at low pitches. 
"When the prime tone is accompanied by a proper 
combination of the over-tones the effect is musical and 
harmonious, rich and splendid, sweet and soft. There 
are various instruments for the production of musical 
tones. Some produce the tone by the vibration of 
strings and are called stringed instruments. Others 
produce it by the vibration of air in a tube from 
some external impulse, and are called reed instru- 
ments. They are such as the flute, clarionet, horn, 
trumpet, etc. The human voice is considered by 
some to be a stringed instrument, by others a flute, 
and by others a reed from its resemblance to each of 
these instruments, but the truth is, that although it 
has many points of resemblance, it differs so much 
from each and all of them that it is entirely different 
and immeasurably superior to any instrument made 
by human hands. 

The human voice is a musical instrument, consist- 
ing of four parts : — 

1. Chest or Thorax, and the Lungs. 

2. The Windpipe or Trachea. 

3. The Larynx or Yoice-box in which the vocal lig- 
aments forming the vibrating element are placed. 

4. The Pharynx, Mouth and Nasal passages. 

The Chest or Thorax is an air-tight cavity formed 
by the spine at the back, the ribs on either side, the 
breast-bone and the collar bones or clavicles in front, 
by the diaphragm below and the root of the neck 
above. The chest is broader below than above and 
gives more room for the lungs below than above. 

The lungs which are situated in this cavity are soft, 



398 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

spungy bodies located on each side of the heart, 
They are of a conical shape, the apex being upper- 
most. They are separated by a membranous partition 
and covered, except at one point, by an elastic, serous 
or watery membrane called the pleura. This adheres 
tightly to the lungs, and at their root it turns back and 
lines the inside of the chest cavity and lessens the 
friction between the chest walls and lungs during re- 
spiration. The lungs are divided into lobes ; the right 
lung having three, and the left two lobes. They are 
formed of cavities or cells called air cells, and thou- 
sands of air tubes run all through them. The lungs 
inhale air, which runs into these cells or tubes for 
the purpose of purifying the blood. This air is again 
driven out by the contraction of the pleura, which 
derives its impulse from the diaphragm and abdom- 
inal muscles. 

The abdominal muscles are an important series of 
muscles, and the chief forces in expelling the air from 
the lungs, the lungs being called the bellows they 
are the handles of that bellows. On this account they 
are important in voice production. The diaphragm 
or midriff is a powerful muscle dividing the chest 
from the abdomen, and by its action of contraction 
and relaxation, descent and ascent, it plays an impor- 
tant part in respiration. The bronchi are two main 
branches of the windpipe leading from it to the lungs, 
and by their ramifications in the lungs serve to dis- 
tribute air to the lungs. The bronchi vibrate and so 
help in producing sound. 

The Trachea or Windpipe is a series of gristly rings 
connected together : it forms the great pipe through 
which the air passes to and from the lungs. 

The Larynx, the principal organ of voice is situated 
on the top of the windpipe between it and the 



THE ORGANS OF VOICE. 399 

posterior opening of the mouth. It is formed of nine 
cartilages or gristly bodies. Four of these are small 
and do not play an important part in voice produc- 
tion, so we need not treat of them. Of the other five 
the first is the Cricoid or ring-shaped cartilage which 
is situated on the uppermost ring of the windpipe. 
Filling the space at the back of the cricoid are two 
others, the arytenoid or pitcher-shaped cartilages. 
They help to form the posterior wall of the larynx. 

The thyroid or shield-shaped cartilage is the largest 
of those forming the larynx, it consists of two square- 
shaped pieces of cartilage joined together in front at 
an acute angle forming a projection in the throat 
which is called Adam's apple ; the posterior surfaces 
of the thyroid terminate both above and below in 
projections called horns, these are means of attaching 
the thyroid with other cartilages. To the inside of 
the angle formed by the rings of the thyroid the vocal 
cords are attached. 

The voice cords or ligaments cross the cavity of the 
larynx, and are fastened at one end to the thyroid and 
the other to the arytenoid cartilages ; there are two 
pairs of them, the upper and the lower ; the upper are 
called the false vocal cords, because they have but 
little to do with sound ; the lower are the real vocal 
cords, it is by them voice is made. The air from the 
lungs passing through the opening or chink between 
the vocal cords sets them in vibration, and the sound 
caused by this vibration is what we call voice. There 
are a class of muscles which act on the thyroid and 
arytenoid cartilages, and by moving them tighten or 
relax the vocal cords, and thus close or open the 
chink between them, called the glottis, and so change 
the quality of the sound. 

The glottis is a heart-shaped opening in the larynx, 



400 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

of which the vocal cords form the lips ; it is called the 
glottis from its resemblance to a tongue. It is the 
opening in the larynx through which air passes to 
and from the lungs. 

The epi-glottis is a thin, leaf-shaped cartilage at the 
base of the tongue in front of the upper opening of 
the larynx, which it protects. When respiration takes 
place the epi-glottis stands erect, leaving the opening 
of the larynx free ; but during the act of swallowing, it 
curves backwards and downwards, and closes the 
opening, and thus prevents anything getting into the 
windpipe. The epi-glottis has an influence on the 
quality of the voice as it has the power of directing 
the tone wave. These various parts of the larynx are 
connected together by muscles and ligaments, which 
it is not necessary to mention. They are also sup- 
plied with nerves and blood vessels, and the inside'of 
the larynx is lined by a mucous membrane, which is 
continuous above with that of the mouth ; and below 
with that of the trachea and lungs. 

Of the organs above the larynx concerned in voice, 
the first is the pharynx ; it is a tube or sac, made up 
of fibrous tissue, muscle and mucous membrane, it 
is the upper end of the gullet and is placed behind 
the nose, mouth and larynx, extending from the under 
surface to the lower and back part of the larynx. The 
pharynx has the power of lengthening and shortening 
itself, of expansion and contraction ; hence it has an 
influence on the pitch and tone of the voice. It gives 
resonance to the voice, but it also raises the pitch 
when shortened. It is thought by some that the po- 
sition and shape of the pharynx has a great deal to 
do with the timbre of the voice. It is certain that it 
differs in size, shape and position in different indiv- 
iduals, and no doubt this has an effect on the timbre 



THE ORGANS OF VOICE. 401 

of tlieir voices. There are seven tubes or openings 
leading from the pharynx, the two openings to the 
nostrils, the two Eustachian tubes, the gullet, the 
larynx and the mouth ; these all have their influence 
on the voice on account of their resonance, size and 
shape. Thus the nasal passages play an important 
part in resonance ; the mouth in sounds, clearness 
and sweetness ; the teeth serve to compact and define 
the volume of voice and perform important functions 
in articulation. The tongue and lips also have great 
influence on the quality, fulness and distinctness of 
voice and articulation. 

As the position, shape, and size of all the organs of 
voice are liable to be different in different persons, 
we must expect that the difference in voices is 
largely due to tnese variations ; thus in some persons 
the vocal cords are thicker than in others ; hence 
they will not vibrate as freely ; in some they are 
longer than others, and this will make a difference in 
the number of the vibrations, thus making the pitch 
higher or lower ; but the other organs have differences, 
so it is not correct to ascribe all the changes in voices 
to the vocal cords ; for a large pait is due, no doubt, 
to changes in otk er organs. 

In the newly-born babe, the larynx is about one 
third the size of that of a woman, and it grows from 
birth till the child is in its sixth year ; from that time 
till the the fourteenth or fifteenth year the larynx 
seems to grow very little, and is much the same in 
boys as girls. At the time of puberty which is gen- 
erally in the fourteenth or fifteenth year, the larynx 
begins to grow rapidly and the voice is said to be 
changing. In boys it alters in the proportions of 
from 5 to 10, and in girls from 5 to 7. During this 
time the vocal cords increase both in length and 



402 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

thickness. In boys the shield cartilage loses its 
curve and forms the prominence known as " Adam's 
apple." The cartilage in girls still retains the gentle 
curve and so women do not have the prominence. 
In girls the vocal cords remain shorter and thinner 
than in males, and the larynx increases more in 
height than in depth and width, and for these rea- 
sons the boy's voice changes into that of the man, 
and the girl's into that of the woman. 

The larynx of a woman is one third smaller than 
that of a man, the cartilages are thinner and more 
delicate the vocal cords shorter and thinner, the 
other parts smaller and the whole voice-box higher 
up in the throat of women than men and this causes 
the difference in their voices. The vocal cords are 
usually short in high voices and long in low voices ; 
this is usually the difference between soprano and 
contralto, tenor and bass. 

CORRECT BREATHING. 

As breathing is essential to voice production besides 
being essential to life, it is important that we breath 
correctly. This function consists of two distinct acts 
called inspiration and expiration. Inspiration is the 
drawing in of air by which the lungs are inflated, 
causing them to fill up the cavity in which they are 
placed. Expiration is the giving out of air from the 
lnngs through the trachea, pharynx and mouth. In 
inspiration the cavity of the chest increases in every 
direction as the diaphragm descends and the ribs ex- 
tend, thus increasing the space which is filled up by 
the expansion of the lungs as they are filled with air. 
In expiration the lungs contract by pressure of the 
pleura and action of the abdominal muscles, and the 
air is forced out while the diaphragm ascends and 

% 



THE OEGANS OP VOICE. 403 

the ribs return to their former position, thus reducing 
the cavity. This action when performed according 
to nature proceeds like the other operations of nature 
unconsciously to us, hence everything which is un- 
natural in the form of breathing is wrong. Breath- 
ing, then, should be easy and unconscious ; that is. we 
should be conscious of the manner in which we are 
breathing only when we pay particular attention to 
the respiration itself. All methods of breathing which 
are forced or unnatural are injurious not only to 
health, but also to the voice, hence the directions 
which are given in some books and by many teachers 
for clavicular and costal breathing are productive of 
harm. Such directions as placing the hands on the 
abdomen and pressing it in while inspiration is being 
performed, that costal breathing may be developed, 
should not be followed unless the person wishes to 
ruin his health ; so also pressing the hands on the 
sides and bending sideways while breathing should be 
avoided. In fact everything which is not in harmony 
with the natural position and breathing operations of 
man should be shunned as leading to wrong habits 
and distorted action. 

From what has been said it will be seen that rais- 
ing the shoulders in clavicular and forcing out the 
ribs in costal breathing are wrong, because injurious 
to health and the vocal organs. The reasons why 
these systems of breathing are injurious are that 
they are only half breathing ; they do not bring the 
whole breathing apparatus into operation. Only a 
part of the muscles are exercised, and hence more 
strain is put upon them. Only a part of the lungs 
are filled with air, the bottom cells being unused. 
These cells, since they are left without air, are liable to 
decay, and the result may be a species of consump- 



404 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tion. There is a want of sufficient air for the pro- 
duction of voice in this kind of breathing, and this 
produces an unnatural strain on the vocal organs to 
produce tone, thus causing disease to set in. The 
pharyngeal muscles are contracted in order to pro- 
duce tones when there is a lack of breath, as in 
clavicular breathing and throaty tone is often pro- 
duced. An undue strain is also put upon the larynx, 
lungs and organs in the abdominal cavity which is 
often the cause of serious trouble. The true method 
of breathing is that which is taught us by nature. It 
can be seen in the natural rise and fall of the abdo- 
men and chest in animals, in most healthy men and 
in children before they have been taught wrong 
habits of breathing. It consists of taking a full, 
deep and easy breath by the action of the abdominal 
muscles and the diaphragm. The abdominal walls 
are pushed out or forward by the muscles, the diaph- 
ragm contracts, flattens and descends or sinks down 
in the abdomen, thus pressing out the abdomen, 
forcing down the other viscera, and making the ab- 
dominal cavity larger. The air rushes in and the 
lungs are filled completely with it, the ribs expand 
equally on all sides and the action is complete. The 
disphragm then rises, the pleura and muscles con- 
tract and the air is forced from the lungs, producing 
expiration. There need be no movement of the 
shoulder blades, as it is not necessary to a full breath. 
This is what is usually called abdominal breathing ; 
but it might be called a combination of abdominal, 
costal and clavicular, with this difference, that they 
are all done according to nature ; the costal and 
clavicular being true costal and clavicular, not what 
is usually understood by these terms, none taking 
place to the exclusion of the other. 



THE OEGANS OE VOICE. 405 

To acquire this method of breathing, place the 
body in an erect but easy position, be perfectly pas- 
sive ; let the voluntary motor muscles be perfectly in- 
active ; draw in a full breath easily through the nos- 
trils, not the mouth, let that be shut. Place the 
hands lightly upon the abdomen before drawing in 
the breath and you will feel the abdomen bulging 
out as you inhale the air. Keep the shoulders per- 
fectly motionless during the operation, and in most 
cases there will be no doubt about the breathing 
being correct. To make this matter still easier stand 
easily with the back against the wall ; or better 
still, lie flat on the back in a horizontal position, 
without any elevation of the head. In these positions 
a correct form of breathing can easily be mastered, 
and by due practice it will be next to impossible to 
breathe otherwise. The unnatural forms which have 
been developed among women by the pernicious 
habit of tight-lacing, have made it a question whether 
women can breathe this way or not. If the student 
will observe the breathing of women who have not 
practised tight-lacing, who have a normal waist, and 
who are in good health, he will see that they do 
breathe in this way if they have not been taught to 
breathe otherwise. There is this difference, how- 
ever, in the proper breathing of women, it is more 
lateral than that of man. 

Breathing exercises should be taken every day, con- 
sisting of full but easy inspirations and expirations. 
A few minutes practice every day will not only de- 
velop the chest and abdomen and increase the breath- 
ing power but it will improve the general health and 
the condition of the blood. The breath might also be 
emitted in sounds by gently uttering syllables and 



406 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

words, being careful to make the voice pure and 
sweet. 

It will be readily seen that breathing from the ab- 
domen upwards is the natural and simplest way, when 
we consider that nature has placed no obstacle in its 
way. The diaphragm can be contracted or relaxed 
to the greatest possible extent, or for any length of 
time without fatigue. The lungs at the base are 
surrounded by soft and yielding parts, so that it is 
easy for the lungs to expand. The ribs at their base 
are fastened only to the spine, so that it is easy for the 
muscles to move them out or in, in front ; thus giving 
room for the expanding lungs. At the top, however, 
the ribs are fastened to the spine behind, and the 
breast-bone in front ; and besides, as the ribs are much 
shorter it is more difficult to move them. The 
shoulder-blades and collar-bones also are so firmly 
fastened that it is difficult to move them, thus showing 
that clavcular breathing is not natural. Abdom- 
inal breathing is easy and without any strain and can 
be performed unconsciously and naturally ; clavicular 
requires effort and strain and is performed con- 
sciously, hence is unnatural and injurious to health. In 
order to breathe naturally, it is important to divest 
the body of tight-fitting clothing, which compresses 
the waist, chest or neck ; belts, corsets, and tight col- 
lars should be discarded, or if they are worn they 
should be loose enough to give full play to the opera- 
tions of breathing. The clothes should be suspended 
by braces from the shoulders and not by anything 
fastened around the waist, and for those who have a 
weak chest, or who breath improperly, the easiest way 
to practice proper breathing is to lie down flat on the 
back, placing one hand lightly on the abdomen 
and the other upon the lower ribs; then inhale through 



THE 0K0ANS OF VOICE. 407 

the nostrils, slowly, deeply, and without any inter- 
ruption or jerking. After having plrawn in a full 
breath in this way, as long as you can count four ; 
then let the breath go suddenly in a quick but easy 
expiration. Eepeat this exercise frequently at inter- 
vals, but do not continue it long enough to cause 
fatigue; moderation is the rule in this, as in everything 
else. During the process of inspiration it will be 
seen that the abdomen increases gradually in size, 
the lower ribs expand sideways and the upper part of 
the chest is pushed forward, but the collar-bones and 
shoulder-blades remain stationary. This is the 
first exercise ; in the second exercise let the breath 
be drawn in, deeply, fully and slowly, in the same 
way as before. Hold it while you count four, then 
let the breath go out, slowly and evenly, without jerk- 
ing or trembling. In these exercises both the in- 
spiration and expiration should be performed by the 
muscles, and also the holding of the breath. The 
glottis should be perfectly free and open. In the last 
exercise in order that the expiration should be given 
slowly und steadily, it will be well for the student to 
practise before a lighted candle. The lips should be 
placed close to the flame, and as the breath is expired 
it should come so slowly and easily that the flame is 
not blown to and fro by the breath. In the third 
exercise, the breath is to be inhaled rapidly, but fully, 
and expelled slowly, in the fourth, the breath should 
be drawn in rapidly and expelled suddenly. 

In reading, speaking, or singing, it is important to 
breathe as often as an opportunity is given. The 
student should never wait till the breath is exhausted 
before taking another breath. Wherever a pause is 
made, an opportunity is given and it should be taken 
advantage of. The breathing should always be silent, 



408 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

and if advantage is taken of all pauses, the breathing 
can be performed imperceptibly. All gasping or 
other noises in breathing, are entirely out of place, 
except when used for effect, they only show that the 
speaker or reader does not know how to breathe. 

ADDITIONAL EXERCISES IN BREATHING. 

1. Draw in a full breath, hold it as in the other ex- 
ercises, then send it forth in a prolonged sound of the 
letter h ; in inspiration take in as much breath as you 
can, and in expiration give out as little as you can, 
just enough to keep the sound of h audible ; keep the 
sound going as long as you can sustain it. 

2. Draw in a full breath as before, emit it with a 
lively expulsive force, like a moderate whispered 
cough in the sound of A, but little prolonged. 

3. Draw in the breath as before, but emit it with a 
sudden and violent explosion in a brief sound of the 
letter h. The breath in this exercise is thrown out 
with abrupt violence in the style of a sudden forcible 
whispered cough. 

4. Sob, yawn, and sigh in the same way. 

5. Draw in a full breath and expel it slowly in the 
syllables he, haw, hah. 

6. Draw in a full breath and emit in a whispered 
sound of he, haw, hah. 

7. Repeat the same but emit in a forcible manner. 

8. Draw in a full breath and emit slowly in pure 
tone the sounds he, haw,hah, but prolong the sound 
as much as possible. 

9. Do the same with the vowels a, e, i, o, u. 

10. Eepeat the same exercises, but use the sentence 
" High on a hill he calls Paul." 



CHAPTEE XX. 



NATUBAL ELOCUTION. 

The basis of all art should be nature. A true 
representation of nature constitutes the highest ex- 
cellence in speaking. It should be the orator's aim 
whether he reads, recites, or speaks extempore, to de- 
liver his thoughts naturally. Natural delivery is not 
easily denned, but it appears to be the true expres- 
sion of the mental states. The object of all speaking 
is to convey to the audience what is in our own 
minds, and the style of speaking which accomplishes 
this the most impressively is the best. The key to 
natural delivery is to be found in the laws which 
regulate conversational voice. 

We seldom tire of listening to a good conversa- 
tionalist. But all conversation is not good ; there is 
much in it which would not be appropriate to public 
speaking. There are class tones, society inflections 
and club pronounciations which would be entirely 
unsuited to public delivery. The oral, mincing, 
affected tone of voice heard in many quarters would 
(409) 



410 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

not only be abominable but would be utterly lost in a 
large building. In common conversation, especially 
among the refined classes, there is a prevalence of a 
peculiar, affected, delicate head tone which would ex- 
cite ridicule if employed in addressing men and 
women on some elevated theme. 

A conversational voice is that which arises when 
the mental states take possession of the speaker and 
so over-power him that he forgets his class tones and 
utters his thoughts impromptu and with passionate 
and expressive elocution. Fireside conversation is 
not the best model, for that is generally monotonous, 
or at least confined to trifling topics, and therefore, 
not characterized by harmonious expression. To 
discover the true conversational voice we must ob- 
serve the elocution of the best speakers when in- 
spired by a subject which takes possession of their 
whole being. Witness men when under passion, in 
debate, or when describing something they admire 
or love, or reproving what they hate, and you will 
discover the elocution necessary for a public assembly. 
You will find that on such occasions the voice modi- 
fies itself to express human passion in all its phases, 
and the gestures of the body are wonderfully appro- 
priate. Probably the nearest approach to a perfect 
conversational delivery is to be found in the animated 
speech of children. Children are not self-conscious, 
they are generally full of happiness, health and vigor, 
and their minds are open to the beauty of nature, 
and for this reason they deliver themselves with grace 
and spirit Conversational delivery is characterized 
by certain qualities which we will consider in order. 

Voice. — The most careful observation of the voice 
in conversation reveals that the tenor and baritone 
voices are the most expressive. In ordinary conversa- 



NATURAL ELOCUTION. 411 

tion the middle key of these voices is the most used. 
Whenever conversation becomes passionate or ani- 
mated the voice changes from the middle key to a 
lower or higher according to the nature of the emo- 
motion. When a man converses upon a subject in 
which he has a deep interest, and which he desires to 
persuade others to esteem as highly as he does, his 
voice is perpetually changing its keys. This is not 
all ; the voice not only changes in pitch, but in inflec- 
tion, tone, stress, and emphasis — in other words, the 
voice speaks the language of the mental states. The 
ever changing tones, the inflection of doubt or affir- 
mation, the stress of command, indignation, courage 
or scorn are the very life of true conversation. In 
fact, there is even a greater variety, flexibility and 
compass in all the elements of elocution in conver- 
sational delivery than in public delivery. This is 
because nature is left to guide her own expressions ; 
the active mental states rule supreme, no artificial 
rules, no fear of the disapproval of others check the 
animated flow of the currents of feeling. Sometimes 
there are greater contrasts of inflection, pitch and 
tone, than a fastidious audience could bear in public 
speaking. From all this it is evident in order to 
speak naturally in public, it is necessary to model el- 
ocution on the conversational basis. The assumption 
of particular kinds of voice as the most appropriate 
for public elocution is absolutely contrary to natural 
conversation. The voice should change its pitch to 
conform to the sentiment, and even to express the 
delicate shades of meaning. 

A speech delivered in a monotone or a high or low 
key, or voluminous voice kills natural expression. A 
voice which is grave, base and hollow in sound, or 
loud and boisterous, combative, and destructive in 



412 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tone, or even semi-tonic is not a natural voice. The 
natural voice should be joyous, full of life and flexi- 
bility, and responsive to every shade of thought and 
emotion. As regards inflection, public elocution 
must conform to conversational inflection, and this 
we have found to be exexceedingly various ; there is 
in conversation a perpetual sliding up and down of 
the voice. 

Bassanio. — Wouldst thou aught with me? 
Gobbo. — There's my son, sir, a poor boy. 

Launcelot. — Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew ; that would 
as my father shall specify. 
Gobbo. — He hath a great infliction, sir. 

If a speaker pronounces these sentences with a true 
conception of their meaning he will find that his voice 
constantly slides up and down. If the falling inflec- 
tion, instead of the rising, should be 'given to any of 
the words marked, it would completely alter the mean- 
ing. The language expresses doubt and hesitation, 
and requires the rising or suspensive slide. How 
utterly ruinous, therefore, to natural expression is the 
dead level voice which some speakers employ. 

Emphasis is another essential element in natural 
delivery. Whoever has listened to the conversation 
of men and women must have observed how often 
they slur over un-emphatic syllables, words and 
clauses, and with what marked modifications of voice 
they utter others. Emphasis must, therefore, mani- 
fest itself in public elocution in order to be natural. 
Delivery stripped of emphasis becomes mono- 
tonous and expressionless. Let the orator who 
wishes to model his style of delivery after the pat- 
tern of natural conversation study emphasis. Let 
him observe how men when animated, sometimes 
swell out or prolong certain words or sentences, or 



NATUBAL ELOCUTION. 413 

dash them out with the rapidity of lightning. How 
they sometimes hang upon a sentence their whole 
weight of body and voice as if it were a link of iron 
which they were about to hurl at some intruder. Let 
him also closely observe that emphasis is not always 
given in the same way. Sometimes a clause or word 
is made emphatic by pitch or inflection, by stress, by 
quality of tone, by force, by contrasted modulations, 
by prolongation of sound and by pauses. Speakers 
who employ only one kind of emphasis are exceed- 
ingly unnatural. See how they tear the delicate 
membranes and cords of the vocal organs in order to 
deliver emphatic words by force. Abrupt stress and 
violent expulsion is the prevalent way of delivering 
emphatic clauses and words by many speakers, and 
the results are exceedingly destructive of natural de- 
livery. Joy never expresses Itself by abrupt, but by 
median stress ; reverence, hope, and courage are not 
expressed by the violent contortions of the vocal or- 
gans. Emphasis rendered entirely by explosive 
tones must be condemned as destructive, not only of 
grace and beauty in delivery, but even of sense. De- 
livery becomes ludicrous when it expresses passions 
just the opposite to those intended to be conveyed. 
Such is the delivery of many who employ the em- 
phatic style, because they think it expresses anima- 
tion and earnestness ; but in this they are mistaken 
for it expresses only the violent passions of anger, 
hatred or combativeness. Earnestness and|all genuine 
feelings are expressed by full sonorous sounds. Na- 
tural conversational delivery is due mainly to the em- 
ployment of different kinds of emphasis ; artificialty, 
to the employment of but one. 

Pauses are essential to naturalness. The voice in 
conversation rests at the end of some words and 



414 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

clauses. If .we closely investigate the use of these 
pauses we will find that they are mind rests as well as 
voice rests. When the mind is occupied with an idea 
or emotion it does not seek to express that idea or 
emotion as a whole, but in parts. When a certain 
portion of the meaning has arisen in the mind its 
expression is separated from what follows by a pause 
of longer or shorter duration. 

All extempore speaking has this characteristic. 
The speaker pronounces a few words or even one 
word, and then pauses. That pause means something ; 
it wins the attention of the audience, causes them to 
take in the portion of the thought just uttered and 
stimulates their imagination to conceive of what fol- 
lows. Pauses are necessary to the sense, for they 
separate words which have a relation to each other 
from those not related. By these pauses the speaker 
is enabled to let the thought thus partly developed 
stimulate his own mind, and prepare for the natural 
delivery of what follows. In reading from manuscript 
or reciting from memory unnatural delivery' is due 
mainly to neglect of the rules of pausing, as the 
thoughts are already prepared. The mind has not to 
struggle to conceive the thought, the voice has only 
to utter it. Great fluency destroys natural delivery, 
because the words are spoken in quick succession 
without pauses, and there is no chance to awaken feel- 
ing in the orator or the audience. 

The value of pauses in natural delivery is apparent 
from the fact that not only are they conducive to 
sense, but afford opportunity for replenishing the 
lungs. The drawing in of the breath at pauses is 
nothing more than what takes place in extempore 
speaking. Pauses enable the speaker to adjust his 
vocal organs is order to produce a change of voice, 



NATUBAL ELOCUTION. 415 

inflection or emphasis. They are not simply the gram- 
matical stops found in printed manuscript, but may 
occur in any part of the sentence when necessary. 

Toice Coloring. — Observation of the elocution of 
good speakers reveals the fact that the voice changes 
its quality in expressing the mental states. Besides 
the shading with respect to quantity, the vocal sounds 
are more or less colored to express passion. The tones, 
expressive of ordinary commonplace ideas are color- 
less, they betray no emotion, but no sooner does 
emotion swell within the breast of the speaker than 
the vocal sounds become colored ; that is, the quality 
of the voice changes. These changes of tone are 
highly characteristic of natural delivery. The voice 
should vary its quality in order to express different 
passions, for if it remains the same in love, joy, and 
hope, as in fear, anger, and revenge, all natural ex- 
pression is destroyed. 

Some .speakers keep up an elevated tone [ of voice 
all through their discourse. The feeblest thoughts 
are made as important as the most weighty. This is 
destructive alike of sense and natural delivery ; for 
the voice ought to increase or diminish in quality and 
quantity to express sublime or ordinary thoughts. 
Natural delivery is characterized in general by life, 
warmth and variety of vocal enunciation. The voice 
must be full of magnetic life ; all the elements of 
natural delivery, pauses, inflection, modulation, etc., 
must be appropriate and varied to suit the sentiment. 
There is a false naturalness in delivery which ought 
to be avoided. Many readers have learned that to 
speak in conversational tones is the chief requisite of 
natural delivery, so they inflect their voices after a 
manner which they conceive to be natural. This 
imitative style of delivery is exceedingly unnatural, 



41G ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

because not founded upon broad generalizations, but 
simply upon those elements of delivery which appear 
on the surface. . This false delivery may often be wit- 
nessed in school children and school teachers. I do 
not allude to that sing-song chant which children 
learn in primary schools, but to a more intellectual 
style of reading. Observe closely public teachers 
while speaking, and you will not fail to discover many 
inflections and peculiar changes of voice, which, al- 
though they resemble some phases of natural con- 
versation yet are extremely unnatural. There ap- 
pears to be a sort of calculated emphasis, a stated 
recurrence of the upward and downward slides of the 
voice, and an affected precision in the enunciation of 
vowels and consonants. The same way of beginning 
and closing a sentence which leads to monotony, even 
amid variety. It is very easy to discover a school 
teacher by her mode of delivery. This false style of 
delivery arises from the desire to imitate the changes 
of voice occurring in ordinary conversation ; but as 
these changes are only casually observed, those 
which appear on the surface are the ones most readily 
imitated. Inflection and force-emphasis, because 
habitually used by most people are thought to con- 
tribute grace of natural delivery, hence they form 
the prevailing elements in the imitative natural de- 
livery. The expressions of the passions are never 
conveyed by this style of enunciation, because by^its 
very nature it does not recognize the manifold 
changes of voice necessary to express passion. It 
often happens, that those who have formed this false 
conception of what constitutes natural delivery, 
undertake to criticise pupils who have a gift for 
speaking, and almost ruin the style of such pupils by 
insisting upon the adoption of their imitative mode. 



NATUEAL ELOCUTION. 417 

The out-bursts of genuine passion, the rapid change 
of inflection, the varied emphasis, the expressive in- 
tonation, which characterize the delivery of the ora- 
torically, gifted sounds strange to them, and they seek 
to restrain such outbursts and to substitute for it 
their artificial style. Perhaps such teachers are con- 
stitutionally unfitted to teach elocution. They may 
not have the emotional nature, and are incapable of 
comprehending the language of the emotions and so 
endeavor to reduce all expression to the common-place 
level of ordinary, vapid and listless conversation. 
Another style of delivery which is often dignified 
by the epithet " natural," and which bears a close 
resemblance to the imitative-natural is the intellect- 
ual style. In this style, all that is aimed at is clear- 
ness ; the sense is sought to be conveyed and that is 
all, but such a delivery fails even to convey accu- 
rately the sense. When the matter consists of intel- 
lectual propositions and maxims, such a delivery con- 
veys clearly enough the sense, but in public speak- 
ing such material forms but a small proportion of 
a speech. Maxims, propositions and thoughts 
should have taken so powerful a hold of the speaker 
that he feels an earnest desire not only to communi- 
cate information, but to persuade his audience to make 
these truths and maxims their owm; and this very 
earnestness will arouse the various mental states 
which must express themselves in modifications of 
voice different from those employed in the expression 
of mere intellectual thought. 

Habitual or Acquired Style. — According to our as- 
sociations we acquire peculiar methods of enunciation 
and inflections of voice. We are prone to think that 
those tones which are habitual to us are natural ; when 
the truth is, that they were artificially acquired by 



elocution and oratory. 

education. To employ these habitual tones, may kill 
all true expression. A person may have acquired the 
habit of using a strong forcible utterance in express- 
ing his thoughts, when he speaks before an audience, 
such will be his enunciation, no matter what is the 
mental state ; love, reverence, fear or sorrow may be 
present, but still he thunders away. Some speakers 
deliver the words of the loving, sympathetic prophet 
of Nazareth with all the vehemence of the angry pas- 
sions. They think they are energetic, animated, and 
pathetic when full of destructive fire, and so they seek 
to hammer love, hope, courage and fear into the hearts 
of their listeners by the hydrostatic tones of combat- 
iveness and stubbornness. 

CULTIVATION OF NATURAL DELIVERY. 

In order to feel deeply the emotions or thoughts of 
the writer, make them real by a sort of mental picture ; 
think you see the scene before you ; imagine yourself 
insulted, loved or hated as the case may be, meditate 
upon all the circumstances capable of awakening the 
mental states to be expressed in your own heart. 
When this has been accomplished, seek to make the 
outer expression correspond with the inner concep- 
tion. The study of elocution will be found highly 
useful in developing a natural style of delivery be- 
cause its rules are founded upon the study of nature. 



CHAPTEE XXI. 



THE VOICE IN EXPRESSION. 

The voice is, beyond all question, the chief instru- 
ment of expression in oratory. Gesture appeals to 
the mind through the eye ; voice to the mind through 
the ear. Although it is possible to express almost 
every passion by gestures, such language is necessarily 
limited to a few signs. These signs must always in- 
dicate the same emotions, or there will be confusion. 
Gestures are not always specific, they are more often 
general ; for instance, certain gestures of the eye, 
mouth, nose and hands are indicative of a class of 
emotions rather than particular emotions under that 
class; the elevation of the eyebrows, and all the features 
more or less open, is characteristic of the whole class 
of exhilarating emotions, while the opposite gestures 
are characteristic of the antagonistic or depressing 
emotions. When the actor or orator employs these 
gestures, we can only tell that he is expressing some 
mental state of joy or pleasure ; but without the voice 
to name that state, we could not tell whether it was a 
feeling of joy, hope or gratification. Gestures may 
(419) 



420 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

excel the voice in concentration. By a single glance of 
the eye or motion of the hand a whole sentence is 
conveyed, but it must be recollected, that long before 
that gesture was made the voice had prepared the 
way, and we understood the gesture because of the 
verbal explanation which preceded it. When a 
person wishes to expel an intruder from his house, he 
may do so by an indignant look and wave of the 
hand, and if impatient, a stamp of the foot, or he may 
tell him in words to leave. The former would seem 
the stronger expression. But we have been prepared 
to understand the full import of the gesture by all 
that has taken place previous to the command. The 
questions whence the intrusion, the nature of the of- 
fence, have all been brought vividly before our minds 
in words and actions, and hence our imagination is 
aroused and ready to develop, the gestures of com- 
mand with more than natural importance ; but let 
the gestures indicative of command he made simply 
without reference to what has gone before, and they 
will carry no more meaning than the simple spoken 
word. While we admit that gestures may emphasize 
more powerfully particular passions, yet as a lan- 
guage capable of expressing all the delicate mental 
states, they are inferior to the vocal language. There 
are shades of thought and mental states which the 
voice alone can express. All the intellectual pro- 
cesses are more clearly conveyed by the voice than 
by gesture. And there can be no doubt which men- 
tal state is sought to be conveyed, because the voice 
always names the particular state. The fact that vocal 
language has superseded gesture is a convincing proof 
of its superiority as an organ of expression. 

The wants and desires of animals are few ; hence 
they find gesture adequate to convey these to others, 



THE VOICE IN EXPBESSION. 421 

but even among animals, vocal sounds are employed 
to express their emotions as frequently as gestures. 
In truth, the expression of the highest passions of 
the animal is to be found in vocal sound rather than 
in gesture. The cat makes a purring noise, the bark 
of the dog is as expressive of delight as the wagging 
of his tail, the lowing of cattle in the far distance, 
the plaintive wail of the sheep, reveal their desires 
even more powerfully than their bodily motions. 

If we come into the higher realm of animal life — the 
domain of their love affections — it is the voice which 
swells and sinks with passion. Wood and grove, 
hill and plain become vocal with songs poured forth 
from the larynx of ten thousands little birds express- 
ing in tuneful sound their love for each other more 
fully and truly than their little flirts and fan -like 
notions from branch to branch. In the early stage 
of man's life, when his desires were few and the men- 
tal states were not all active, the language of gesture 
was probably sufficient ; but still even here we find 
vocal sounds as expressive as gestures. The infant 
when he inhales for the first time the breath of his 
new life, utters faint vocal sounds which express more 
forcibly than any gestures could, that he now 
begins to feel the conditions of mortal existence. As 
the infant passes through to manhood, he finds that 
his vocal powers are more capable of expressing the 
delicate mental feelings which arise within him, than 
bodily gestures. It will be readily conceded that the 
voice can convey intellectual thought more ade- 
quately than gesture ; it may also be maintained that 
the voice is the most powerful agent in the expression 
of the emotions and passions. The reason why some 
have supposed that gesture is more expressive than 
vocal sounds, is beeause they have overlooked the 



422 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



fact that in public speaking there is only one in a 
hundred who uses his voice properly. There is a lan- 
guage of the passions concealed in the stream of ar- 
ticulate sound, which is wonderfully expressive when 
it becomes visible ; gestures will appear weak com- 
pared with it. 

Modifications of Voice. — While the voice is kept 
on a level or monotonous key it is not expressive. 
There ought to be in every vocal sound some kind of 
stress, pitch, inflection, tone or emphasis. These 
modifications of voice are expressive of the various 
passions. The rising inflection, median stress, high 
pitch, and cheerful, swelling tones express the joyful 
emotions, while on the other hand the depressing 
emotions have opposite modifications of voice. Words 
destitute of this language are mere arbitrary signs 
destitute of life, but when invested with it, they have 
a power which nothing can surpass. Inflection, 
stress, time, pause, emphasis and all the various 
modifications of voice are the soul of verbal language. 
They speak to the heart in a way not to be misunder- 
stood. They express the mental states. All the 
emotions of the soul can be conveyed by these pecu- 
liar variations of the voice. It is the predominance 
of a particular emotion which decides the stress or 
inflection that shall take possession of the word. 

Variations of Voice arise from variations of feel- 
ing. The muscles that move the vocal organs, includ- 
ing the respiratory organs, contract like other 
muscles in proportion to the intensity of the feeling. 
That is, the mental states when more or less aroused, 
contract the vocal muscles, in order to compel the 
vocal organs to assume the positions necessary to 
produce the quality of sound or inflection, expressive 
of that particular emotion. The different positions of 



THE VOICE IN EXPRESSION. 423 

the vocal organs lead to distinctions in the stream of 
sound, and these distinctions are expressive of the 
various mental states. These distinctions are : Loud- 
ness, quality, volume, pitch, timbre, time, stress, etc. 

Loudness increases vital activity, and whatever 
increases vitality renders vigorous the vocal expres- 
sion. It follows, that loud and violent sounds will 
arise from strong feeling. The passions of rage, 
anger, and even rapturous joy, will be expressed by 
loud, swelling sounds. If the feelings are powerful, 
the voice will be correspondingly loud. We can thus 
readily distinguish several degrees of loudness or 
force of voice, which indicate definite stages of men- 
tal activity of the instincts, emotions and passions. 

Subdued force expresses humility, modesty, shame, 
doubt, irresolution, apathy, repose, fatigue, prostra- 
tion from disease. Moderate force expresses the 
mental faculties in their simple states of activity. 
Emotional and Passional force expresses the emo- 
tional and passional states of the mental faculties. 
Such passions as anger, wrath, fear, horror, rage, and 
in general the resistive, aggressive and malign emo- 
tions and passions ; all impart strength to the voice 
and muscular movements. 

Quality of voice also expresses the mental states. 
The full orotund voice expresses determination, bold- 
ness, courage, sublimity admiration, bombast and 
self-importance. Pure tone expresses the gentler 
emotions, especially those of the affectional and esthe- 
tic groups. Effusive orotund indicates the reverential, 
sublime and pathetic emotions. Expulsive orotund, a 
stronger and more emphatic quality of voice than the 
effusive, very appropriately expresses the declamatory 
emotions and passions such as love of contention, 
pugnacity, martial courage or love of war. Explosive 



424 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

orotund, a still more violent quality of voice than the 
preceding, expresses the energetic and violent pas- 
sions of the aggressive and malign groups. It also 
expresses sudden terror, frenzy and all emotions 
which call forth exertion of great power in their in- 
itial or final stages. The voice in its various degrees 
of clearness, harshness, mellowness, purity and im- 
purity of quality, expresses the more delicate shades 
of emotions and passions. Good qualities of voice 
express the noble and loving emotions, while the bad 
qualities express the malign passions. A smooth, 
clear, mellow and sympathetic voice expresses the 
love emotions. In the expression of the sorrowful 
emotions, the voice maintains its purity of sound,but 
its utterance is subdued, plaintive and tremulous. 
The plaintive or chromatic quality is very expressive 
especially of the tender sentiments accompanied by 
grief, sympathy, pity, regret, and blighted affections. 

The tremor expresses excessive joy, hope, and all 
emotions which raise the soul to such an ecstacy of 
pleasure, that equable utterance is denied ; it also ex- 
presses the emotion which enfeeble the voice, fatigue 
grief and pity. This trembling quality arises from 
two apparently antagonistic causes, too strong and 
two feeble vital action. In the joyful emotions, the 
superabundant vitality smothers expression, while 
the feeble vitality weakens it. 

A chuckling voice expresses self-satisfaction and 
all triumphal and congratulatory sentiments. The 
chuckling voice accompanied by circumflex accents, 
waving tones and prolongation of vowel-sounds, ex- 
presses the contemptuous emotions and passions, 
sneer, abhorrence, contempt, scorn and derision. 

The whispering or aspirated voice adequately ex- 
presses the precautionary emotions, cunning, secrecy, 



THK VOICE IN EXPEESSION. 425 

apprehension, fear, astonishment, terror and horror, 

The hoarse, aspirate quality expresses impatience, 
scorn, loathing, agony, despair, hatred and aversion. 
When the whispering voice is added to the plaintive 
and trembling modifications, which expresses the 
tender and sympathetic emotions, it renders more 
earnest and intense their expression. Such a com- 
bination of voice modification, expresses with ac- 
curacy the deepest shades of sadness and grief. 

The guttural quality of voice expresses the malign 
passions, anger, rage, hostility, malice, contempt, 
loathing, disgust ; and when the hoarse, aspirated 
quality is added it expresses the vilest thoughts 
and worst human passions. Murderers and those 
who §hed human blood without compunction should 
have voices more or less guttural, especially when 
about to commit their fiendish crimes. 

The pectoral or chest voice in its purity, expresses 
the subdued emotions — awe, fear, reverence, solemni- 
ty, sublimity, and in its aspirated form, vexation, indig- 
nation, horror, terror, and other powerful passions. 

Falsetfo is a peculiar voice modification caused by 
speaking in higher tones than the musical scale per- 
mits, and still preserve sweetness of sound. The 
stream of sound is broken and the quality is un- 
natural and shrill. It is heard in the sudden scream 
of terror, the whine of peevishness and the tremor of 
pain. It may be employed to represent the voice of 
an old woman, or in imitating the voices of children, 
and even for comic effect. Joined with circumflex ac- 
cent and waving tones it expresses contempt, mock- 
ery, and sarcasm. 

The nasal quality is heard in New England provin- 
cialisms, and is employed for comic effect. 

A sustained utterance or smooth, equable accentua- 



42G ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tion expresses admiration and all beautiful, pleasing 
and affectional sentiments. While on the other hand, 
a strongly pointed, abrupt and frequent accentuation 
expresses the acrimonious sentiments — recrimination, 
reproach, fault-finding, and also any marked senten- 
tial emphasis. Kapidity and frequently interrupted 
utterance indicates hurry, eagerness, intense excite- 
merit, ardor and alacrity ; while slow and sustained 
utterance expresses the languid states of the mind, 
languor, melancholy, grief, depression, sorrow, cow- 
ardice and imbecility. A smooth-flowing rhythmical, 
or measuredly accented utterance expresses regular- 
ity of motion, music, and the aesthetic emotions, 
loveliness, beauty, perfection and grandeur. 

So nearly related are the mental passions to their 
physical expression, that even the manner of drawing 
in and expelling the breath indicates the nature of 
their activity. Thus, silent and imperceptible respira- 
tion indicates normal or simple activity of the men- 
tal states, while hurried or strong respiration ex- 
presses violent or emotional activity. Silent, smooth, 
and equable inspiration and expiration express all the 
gentler emotions, calmness, repose, tranquility, peace, 
quietness, loveliness, beauty, and the love-emotions 
in their simplest stages of excitement. Audible ex- 
piration, joined with slow utterance, produces the ef- 
fect of sighing, which indicates sadness and grief, but 
suddenly gushed out expresses intensity of feeling. 
A convulsive heaving or panting respiration expresses 
mental suffering, perturbation, nervous excitement, 
exhaustion, flurry and the most violent stages of pas- 
sionate excitement. An audible, gasping or semi- 
vocal inspiration expresses despair, terror and mental 
or bodily agony. 

In cheerful and joyous feelings the voice leaps from 



THE VOICE IN EXPKESSION. 427 

pitch to pitch with buoyancy, resembling in sound the 
exhilaration and ecstacy of the mental feeling. In 
gloomy, sad and solemn emotions the glidings of the 
voice are few and languid, which corresponds with 
the depressing mental states. The voice may be 
modified to express every kind of motion and sound ; 
the roaring and whistling of wind, the moving of 
leaves, the rippling, splashing sound of water, the 
murmuring of the ocean, the whispering of the 
zephyr, or the roaring sweep of the hurricane, the 
crackling of brush-wood, the tramp of men, the shock 
of armies, the falling of timbers, the rolling of 
thunder, the furious rush of the mountain torrent and 
swollen cataract. 

Pitch, is a modification of voice to express feeling. 
In calm speech the voice is monotonous ; there is 
little variety, but the moment one or more of the 
mental states flames into passion, the voice changes 
from the middle key to a higher or lower, according 
to the intensity or kind of emotion. Very high pitch 
belongs to the exuberant and rapturous emotions. 
The middle pitch expressss average feeling or normal 
activity. It fitly expresses unimpassioned thought, 
intellectual truths and the language of the understand- 
ing rather than of the heart. Low pitch expresses 
serious and impressive thoughts, the reverential and 
precautionary emotions. Very low pitch expresses 
the sublime and reverential emotions. 

The aggressive, malign and precautionary emotions 
rapidly change the pitch or key-note of expression. 
The high, shrill screams of terror are often succeeded 
by the low moans of despair. The vociferations of 
anger not infrequently give place to the low mutter- 
ings of revenge. And even the same emotion, when 
violently excited may use all the modifications of 



428 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

voice from high to low. The rising inflection is pe- 
culiar to all the light and "playful emotions, the sim- 
ple stages of love, the marvelous and the humorous 
emotions. The falling inflection expresses complet- 
ness of statement, and all the authorative emotions, 
self-esteem, ambition, confidence, command, denun- 
ciation ; and resistive, aggressive, malign and con- 
scientious emotions. The circumflex expresses double 
meaning, mockery, sarcasm, irony, scorn, contempt 
and reproach, and slightly prevails in the precaution- 
ary emotions. The monotone or dead level voice ex- 
presses the sublime and supernatural emotions. 

Time. — If the thought is important or expressive, 
the mind will cause the voice to dwell upon it longer 
than upon the others. This is why the sublime re- 
quires slower time than the mirthful emotions. Very 
quick time expresses the exuberant and anticipatory 
emotions — hurry, impatience, anger, vexation and all 
lively and humorous emotions. Quick or brisk time 
expresses the exuberant and exhilarating, playful and 
witty sentiments. Lively time expresses lively or an- 
imated emotion. Moderate time expresses the simple 
or normal states of activity. Slow time expresses the 
sublime, pathetic, reverential, authoritative, religious, 
precautionary, supernatural and conscientious emo- 
tions. Very sloio time expresses a more passional 
state of these emotions. 

Stress is a peculiar modification of voice on the 
initial, middle, and final sounds of vowels, and is also 
expressive of the mental states. Radical stress ex- 
presses the aggressive, malign, self-estimative and 
imperative emotions, and all positive and affirmative 
states of mind. Median stress expresses the reveren- 
tial, sublime, pathetic, affectionate, sympathetic, aes- 
thetic and supernatural emotions. 



THE VOICE IN EXPRESSION. 429 

Vanishing stress is the language of the resistive 
and malign, fierce, and obstinate emotions. Compound 
stress expresses surprise, astonishment, sarcasm, 
mockery, raillery, energy and violence. Thorough 
stress is a modification of voice heard in shouting, 
and expresses joy, rapture, triumph, exultation, lofty 
command, disdain, virtuous indignation and all the 
emotions and passions which impart strength to the 
physical functions. 

The intellectual faculties and the emotions arising 
from them, are expressed by the simplest shadings of 
the voice. The quality is pure, tone clear, articula- 
tion and inflection not varied as in passionate feeling, 
but expressive of the relations of thought, rather than 
emotion. The rate of utterance is regulated by the 
importance of the thoughts, the more weighty requir- 
ing slower time than the trifling. Although the in- 
tellectual faculties thus express themselves with none 
of the intense variations of voice which the propen- 
sities demand, yet there is no reason why the deliv- 
ery of intellectual truths should be uninteresting, for 
there is ample scope for variety of voice-shading. 

The weariness which oppresses an audience while 
listening to the enunciation of intellectual truths, 
more often arises from the monotonous and vapid way 
these truths are delivered, than from their depth and 
incomprehensibility. A voice that is pleasing in 
sound, versatile in utterance, and round and clear in 
quality, can impart a charm to intellectual truths and 
dry facts which cannot fail to hold the attention. 
PHYSIOGNOMICAL NATURE OF THE VOICE. 

The voice has also its physiognomical side, which 
demands attention from orators and actors. The 
various modifications of voice, depending upon modi- 



430 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

fications of the vocal organs, tend when frequently 
repeated to fix themselves as permanent voice- 
characteristics. Since these qualities of voice ex- 
press the various mental states, their prevalence in 
the voice will indicate what have been the ruling 
passions of the speaker. That is, the quality of 
voice and manner of delivery will indicate character. 
Listen to the voices of your friends and acquaintances 
and observe how they differ. We seldom fail to tell 
a friend by his voice, even if we cannot see him. We 
often say the voice, since it has long been used to ex- 
press our thoughts and feelings, has become an index 
to our personality. The sound of some voices repel, 
while that of others attracts us. If there is anything 
peculiar about the voices of those we meet for the 
first time, we notice it and judge accordingly. Some 
voices have an honest, straight-forward and frank ring 
about them which immediately wins our confidence 
and esteem. Some are sympathetic and attract us 
like a magnet. They exert an undefinable and mys- 
terious power. Jenny Lind had such a voice. You 
will sometimes meet with men and women who can 
hold you with the sound of their voices. Great orators 
owe much of their power to the magnetic and sym- 
pathetic tone of their voices. We can generally tell 
by the sound of his voice whether a speaker will 
please us, when he has uttered a few sentences. Voices 
differ in timbre or quality ; there are smooth, clear, 
round full voices, which seem to swell out from a man 
of round and full character. They delight, charm and 
fascinate us. They express power, pathos, and almost 
every feeling of the human heart. Some are not so 
full ; but are sweet and musical and we linger with 
fondness upon their accent ; it is hard to banish the 
memory of such a voice, long after we have ceased to 



THE VOICE IN EXPKESSION. 431 

hear it. When separated from their possessors 
by oceans, continents, or even the grave, their magic 
sounds still echo in our ears. Such voices seem to 
fill the imagination with melody and to impress the 
very words on the human soul. Add to this rich 
musical quality the vibration of sympathy, and the 
voice becomes well-nigh irresistible. The voices of 
women often possess such a combination, and woe to 
the man who falls under its spell. It is more entranc- 
ing than the glance of the eye or the smile on the lip. 
It can express love better than any gesture, and can 
captivate the heart as easily as a spider ensnares a 
fly. All men who wish to lead a free, untrammeled 
life should shun women possessed of such voices. 
There are voices which attract, because they are car- 
essing and soothing. They pet and plead you into 
obedience and performance of their will. Their 
owners are generally full of whims, desires, and cap- 
rices, that would be nothing ; but the worst of it is, 
they always strive to make you accomplish their de- 
signs. If you refuse they have such a caressing, coax- 
ing way that your only safety lies in flight. These 
voices, though not so powerful or fascinating as the 
musico-sympathetic, are equally dangerous. 

The playful voice is a sort of rollicking, devil-may- 
care voice. One cannot help liking it. Still it is not 
a dangerous voice ; it will never bring you into a 
witches' ring or wizard's circle, or deprive you of 
your reason. Why ? Because its tones are full of 
warning, it tells of the life its possessor leads, and 
it always invites to contradiction. Its possessor 
is too happy and gay to find fault with you if 
you contradict him. Contradiction supplies him 
with mirth and provoking tones. It is a happy 
voice ; would to heaven there were more of them. 



4:32 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

When a young woman possesses this kind of voice, 
she will not dethrone your reason as easily as if 
she possessed the musico-synipathetic or caressing 
voice, but still you will always find her entertaining. 
You will long for her presence and if naturally sad and 
despondent, she will be better medicine than Indian 
herbs plucked under the moon's eclipse, or under the 
glary sky of a dog-sun. 

The plaintive voice — sorrow, wounded love, un- 
requited affection, or disappointment, has made this 
kind of voice. The possessors seem as if they had 
spent their time wandering through life looking for 
a mate or congenial companion and finding none ; such 
voices are not uncommon, and they even mingle with 
other voices, and wonderful to tell, it does not mar 
but improves the charm of them. It adds a pecu- 
liar fascination to all except the mirthful or rol- 
licking voice ; when that becomes plaintive, it is so 
unnatural that you expect the heavens to fall. 

There are voices which puzzle us and disappoint 
us, because they come from those who should possess 
voices of very different quality. A high, squeaking 
voice is a disgrace to a man of full, sound constitution. 
He should have a full, round voice ; there must be 
some physiological impediment, or bad habit which 
has made this kind of voice. What shall we say of a 
young and beautiful girl who dins your sensi- 
bilities with a hoarse, rude, chest voice instead of 
soothing them with a clear, musical voice. We may 
venture to predict that she keeps disreputable com- 
pany, uses slang and imitates the actions, gestures, 
and tones of men. We abhor such a voice in a 
woman ; it is entirely without fascination and may 
frighten, but never can charm young men. There 
are voices which so far from charming our sensibil- 



THE VOICE IN EXPRESSION. 433 

ities, sound the notes of warning. They croak like 
the raven, hiss like the serpent, and sputter like the 
toad. Some voices irritate, and some soothe ; some 
grate on the sensitive nerv6S and set the teeth on 
edge. Some make one shiver and turn cold, others 
rub your sensibilities like a file in the teeth of an un- 
sharpened saw. 

The deep j guttural and pectoral voice bids you " be- 
ware," and tells you your life is not worth a pin-fee 
when its owner is under the influence of passion. 

The snaky -Snodgrass voice, a half whispering voice. 
A voice that speaks in hesitating yet honeyed ac- 
cents of cunning. Secrecy and stratagem are as 
plainly evinced by such a. voice as by the furtive 
glance and sidelong expression of the eye which 
generally accompanies it. Sometimes the voice as- 
sumes the tones of sympathy for sinister motives, but 
a practiced ear can readily detect it. 

The hypocritical voice resembles the strategic 
voice somewhat, but it is rounder, fuller and more 
varied. It has all the craft and cunning of the 
former with some of the melody and honesty of the 
other voices ; but it is all feigned and imitated, still 
it requires considerable skill to detect the fraud. 
Thousands are constantly hoodwinked and befooled 
by this voice. Xo wonder, for it is as honest, sym- 
pathetic and loving, as imitation and experience can 
make it, and there are lots of people who worship 
art and love counterfeit coin better than real copper 
pennies. The glitter of the tinsel and the glow of 
the bauble have a peculiar fascination for them. Let 
them be fooled, who cares ? If society will run mad 
after the dudish imbecile and the ancestral fop, let 
society suffer until a healthier atmosphere settles 
down upon it. To honest people who hate sham, 



434 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tinsel and show ; who hate fawning, flattering and 
imitations of virtue we would tell how to detect the 
hypocritical voice. The emotions it feigns are always 
a little overdone ; it is too ardent, too sympathetic, 
too self-sacrificing, too honest to be real. Observe 
the harsh undertone which no amount of imitation 
can conceal, a voice within a voice — that is the real 
voice, and according to its quality will be the char- 
acter. If that is hard, firm and metallic, young 
maiden, do not trust its possessor ; you will find him 
utterly devoid of sympathy and feeling. He will 
use you for his pleasure and grind your beauty and 
honor on the slab-stones of avarice, lust and ambi- 
tion. Beware of him, men of business ; for in trade 
he will take an unfair advantage. Beware of him, 
young man, for he will defame and shatter your 
fair name and character in order to advance his own 
vile ambition. The hypocritical voice is often a pass- 
port to society, and when its possessor avails himself 
of the artifices, sham pretences, polish and address of 
cultivated circles, he becomes a power in society. He 
is regarded as a wise and prudent man, a man of re- 
fined and elegant manners, but his thoughts are as 
black as night and the social circles which now wor- 
ship him will some day be stifled with the odor of his 
foul breath. The hypocritical voice can readily imi- 
tate all the emotions and passions of the human soul 
except the pathetic. Nature by a wise provision has 
so constituted men that they cannot express the 
genuine emotions of pity, sympathy, love and phil- 
anthropy unless they feel such passions. All imita- 
tions are easily seen ; the chromatic wail, broken 
voice, stifled sob, without the soul-subduing under- 
current of feeling, provokes laughter, not tears. 

The company voice is akin to this voice, but it is 

I 



THE VOICE IN ESPEESSION. 435 

not so mischievous. Its aim is not to advance am- 
bitious projects, but to place people at their ease. 
The company voice, like the company dress, is only 
put on for the occasion — a little side-show to attract 
favorable attention. We all get to know the com- 
pany voice ; and we often laugh at its inconsistent 
drollery. Such a voice has wonderful range and com- 
pass ; but the trouble is, that its deep harsh notes are 
all at home, and its rich loving stops are all used for 
the entertainment of company. What an elocutionary 
entertainment would some people furnish, if they 
could be heard speaking at home and in company at 
the same time ! If you could hear the gruff, discon- 
tented growl rolled out "in a profound bass voice across 
a table at wife or child, and the melodious "thank 
you sir," " much obliged to you, madam," sung from 
the same voice across the banquet table of some 
social gathering, you would be convinced of the 
compass, power, and variety of expression which the 
anglo-saxon voice possessess. " Hang you women, 
why don't you have my coffee hot ?" " Oh, thank you 
madam, that coffee is just right, I always like it a 
little cold, it burns the mouth when it is hot, you 
know." Just place the right elocutionary tones on 
these clauses and you will have the finest dramatic 
entertainment. 

The fawning^ flattering voice is not so elevated as the 
company voice, its aim is low and grovelling. It is 
an unmanly voice ; expressing cowardice and insin- 
cerity, and yet to those who have large approbative- 
ness, such a voice is grateful music. How many 
people win access to a rich man's favor who have 
nothing to commend them but an empty skull, a flat- 
tering voice, and a cringing disposition. 

The combative and aggressive voice may often be 



436 ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 

heard, especially in public brawls. How sharp and 
jagged the consonants, and the vowels are slapped 
out with radical or vanishing stress. A moderate en- 
dowment of this voice imparts sharpness and life to 
the other voices. 

The executive voice is more harsh and sharp than 
the aggressive and it is impossible to sleep when it 
rages. It acts on the mind like a strong wind on a 
stagnant pool, which blows it up into innumerable 
sharp waves, making it keen as a razor. Men with 
such voices are full of executive power. 

The hard, exacting voice of the conscientious man 
is not pleasing to the sinner, especially, if it is the 
voice of his judge. It has a penetrating quality that 
makes one feel uncomfortable, it seems to enter clean 
through your soul,and find its sinful places. No child 
loves a father with this quality of voice especially, if 
stubbornness be added, which is usually the case. 

The reverential or benevolent voice is much prefera- 
able. Such a voice our Savior must have had, added 
to all the good qualities of the other voices. It is soft, 
winning, mild, persuasive, and at once draws your 
sympathy, confidence and love. I like to hear this 
voice in an old man — a man who has gone through the 
miseries and hardships of life and still retains the 
benevolent voice is worthy of love and admiration. 

The spiritual and adoring voice seems to draw its 
tones from heaven. It is hard to describe it, for it is 
really a sui-generis voice. It has a melody of its own. 
Shakespeare must have heard such a voice when he 
puts into the mouth of Boinoo ^nese sentiments : 
" such harmony is in immortal souls." 

The intellectual, matter of fact voice is not uncom- 
mon, even in the pulpit where it is entirely out of 



THE VOICE IN EXPRESSION. 437 

place. There is no emotion or life, animation or 
music in such a voice. 

The fossil voice. We can endure dryness but never 
decay. A voice that reminds you only of your frozen 
grandfathers, has nothing pleasant about it ; yet such 
voices are not uncommon. Nothing betrays charac- 
ter more fully than the voice. The emotions and 
passions flow into the voice, almost as soon as they 
flash in the eye. 

A strong will can steady the voice, but is powerless 
to keep it natural. Genuine expression must reveal it- 
self. You may muffle, suppress, veil and bind down 
the voice, but it will be all in vain, for it will gain in- 
tensity and power from the restraining of the passions 
and in its very struggle for freedom will betray the 
pent-up emotions. The cautious tone and circumflex 
accent reveals prudence and wisdom as truly as the 
head reclining forward, or the chin placed upon the 
fingers. The knitting of the eyebrows, the lips 
drawn backward and downward can not express firm- 
ness more clearly than the decided tones of the voice. 
In fun and humor the voice expresses as much as the 
face. The drollest anecdotes fail if not delivered in 
the proper voice, and pathos must have its voice in 
order to be felt. So on with all the passions of the 
human heart ; each has its proper voice. An actor or 
orator if he wishes to excel in his art must make him- 
self acquainted with these voices. Cultivation im- 
proves, but does not eradicate natural qualities. 

Artificial voices are mainly the product of training. 
The voices heard in the pulpit are often of this na- 
ture. The holy whine and weeping tones are assumed. 
for the sake of effect. Ridicule and sarcasm directed 
against these voices have partly banished them. 

A. dead-level, bass voice, the result of false elocu- 



438 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tionary drill, a few years ago was thought to be the 
best voice for an orator. Such an opinion is now 
happily exploded. The orator's voice should be en- 
dowed with every good quality, rich, musical, full, 
sympathetic and powerful. 

The clerical voice still lives. It is a neat, precise 
voice, partly natural and partly artificial. It never 
strikes one as really hearty or sincere, but yet it is 
not unpleasant, for it indicates a certain degree of re- 
finement. Some clergymen have voices compounded 
of familiarity, exaggeration and formality, which re- 
minds one of conversation with old women in private 
and bombastic appeals to a congregation. The phy- 
sician should have a good voice, musical, sweet, full 
of humor and jovial spirits. Such a voice will do 
more good than Homeopathic or Allopathic doses. 

The legal voice is a combination of the aggressive 
and executive. In general, it can be told to what 
profession men belong by their voices. The voice 
also reveals the nation to which a joerson belongs. 
The English voice among the educated, especially in 
Inverness, is round, full and expressive, but loose, 
flabby and drawling voices are far too common 
among the English peasantry. The Italian voices 
are musical. The French voice is rather high and 
has a nasal resonance. It is sharp, clear and crispy, 
bright and wide awake. The German voice is gut- 
tural. There are voices hard to classify, but which 
an actor should observe and imitate. Groaning 
voices, sighing voices, wailing voices, yelping and 
barking voices like dogs, purring voices like cats, 
hissing voices like snakes, chattering voices like 
magpies, cooing voices like doves. Perhaps the best 
way to classify such voices would be to call them 
menagerie voices, for there are voices which resemble 



THE VOICE IN EXPRESSION. 439 

those of almost every animal in the universe. That 
the voice is an index to the mind is readily shown by 
the effect of old age, idiocy, and failing mentality on 
its quality. No idiot has a clear, melodious voice, 
for mental imbecility clouds and confuses articulation. 
The harsh scream of the maniac is well-known. A 
thick, loose and fluffy voice is incompatible with 
vigorous mentality. No person of prompt and de- 
cisive thought hesitates or stutters. 



CHAPTEK XXII. 



CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 

Voice is the sonorous vibrations produced by the 
passage of air from the lungs through the vocal organs. 
It ought not to be produced by any air, which may 
be lying loose in the mouth, for this would make the 
voice impure, as such air produces noise. It is air 
coming from the lungs as from a bellows, that pro- 
duces the vocal sound. The air, as it passes through 
the vocal organs, is compressed by the position of the 
vocal cords, which contract or expand, and this com- 
pression, together with the force of the air in passing 
through the larynx causes the vocal cords to vibrate 
and produce sound. The air is set in vibration and 
thus the phenomenon of voice is produced. The lungs 
are the bellows, the larynx the vibratory organ, the 
pharynx the reflecting or resounding organ, the 
organs of the mouth the articulating organs. In 
order to have a perfect voice, all these organs must be 
properly developed, a defect or obstruction in any one 
of these will make a defect in the vocal speech. As 
it is of the utmost importance to have good vocal 
organs, any defect in these should be eradicated if 
(440) 



CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 441 

possible, the endeavor should be to make up for 
defects in one organ by training the others. 

It is universally acknowledged that a good voice is 
necessary to any one who would be a good reader, 
speaker, or singer. The voices of children are usually 
good, unless there is some impediment, or they have 
been subject to bad influences at home, or from faulty 
school training ; but the voice undergoes many modi- 
fications as the child grows up, and unless the greatest 
care is used it is liable to imperfections. The physi- 
cal health may be neglected, and this will have its 
effect on the voice. 

Three voices are usually recognized in the male 
and three in the female. The three in the male are 
the tenor, the highest in scale ; the bass, the lowest ; 
and the baritone, which is just between and has the 
power of producing both tenor and bass notes. The 
tenor is the smoothest, most tender and delicate, but 
it is apt to be shrill, especially in high tenors whose 
voices have been cultivated in singing, but not in 
speaking. The baritone is the normal male voice, 
and is decidedly the best, as it is characterized by 
the greatest compass, flexibility, and timbre. The 
voices in the female corresponding to those in the 
male are soprano, the highest ; contralto, the lowest ; 
and mezzo-soprano, which is just between and cor- 
responds to the baritone in males. Musicians and 
physiologists give the preference to the baritone in 
males, and the mezzo-soprano in females, because 
they are the most expressive, serviceable and perma- 
nent. In training the voice, it has been customary to 
train it on the bass notes, with the idea that this 
made the voice stronger. The voice for speaking 
should not be trained in this way exclusively. Many 
voices have been ruined by such practice. Some 



442 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

men have been grinding and scraping on the low- 
notes till their delivery has become so bass, drony 
and drowsy in its sound that it puts the listener to 
sleep. A gentleman when asked why he did not go 
to church, said the preacher's voice (which was an ex- 
tremely bass one) was so much like that of a monster 
bumble-bee, that it always put him to sleep." The 
voice should be cultivated so as to have the greatest 
compass and flexibility ; hence the training should be 
on both high and low notes. Where the voice is too 
low, high notes are to be practiced, and when shrill, 
low notes. It is not sufficient for speaking to 
practice the voice in singing, there are many good 
singers who are poor speakers ; it must be practiced 
in speaking, also, to insure success. A singer may 
have a pleasant voice in speaking, but a pleasant 
voice is not sufficient to insure success ; energy, 
power, warmth, and versatility are needed. In speak- 
ing the pitch is concrete, while in music it is discrete. 
Singers, in speaking, are very liable to have semi- 
tones in their speech, which makes the speech mel- 
ancholy and wailing in parts of the sentence ; besides, 
there is a certain sameness of inflection, and recur- 
rence of sound, which renders the delivery monoton- 
ous. The singer must practice his voice in speech 
also if he would have success ; but he will find this 
practice all the easier from the fact that his voice is 
less likely to be impure. 

Speech is voice modified in the cavity of the mouth. 
The vowels are the principal elements in the sounds 
of speech, the consonants are merely noises serving 
as checks to the sound and stopping places, which 
form syllables and words. Yowels form also the sole 
element in voice that admits of variety in pitch, in- 
tensity, duration and timbre ; hence it is mainly 



CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 443 

through the vowels that we can develop the voice in 
sweetness, power and flexibility. 

In all vocal training, moderation should be the 
rule ; the organs ought never to be strained, for by so 
doing the voice may be irreparably injured. The 
aim should be to strengthen and develop the conver- 
sational voice till it can be heard distinctly in any 
large hall. Such practice will prevent the voice from 
becoming unnatural or strained, and it will adapt 
itself to the size of any hall, increasing the volume of 
voice according to the size of the building in which 
iiris used. Breathing exercises should be taken every 
day to develop the chest and increase the capacity of 
the lungs, as plenty of air in indispensable to good 
speaking. The breath should be sparingly used, 
none allowed to escape unvocalized, except where it 
may be necessary for effect in imitating some passion. 
After breathing exercises have been taken, the air is 
to be forced from the lungs in gentle, easy flow of 
sound, the aim being to make that sound pure and 
sweet. Persons with weak throats or chests, and 
weak or effeminate voices will find these exercises of 
great benefit. They should practice on the lower 
notes of the scale at first, striving to make the tone 
broad, full, and deep ; as they gain power of voice on 
these notes, they can take others, higher or lower, 
also striving to make them round and full, they will 
soon be surprised at the improvement in their voices. 
There are many speakers with weak voices, who, if 
they would follow some such exercise as the above 
faithfully every day, would soon have strong voices. 

Light gymnastic exercise, which improves the 
bodily health will improve the voice, but violent and 
unnatural exercise should be avoided. Walking is 
one of the very best exercises both for preserving the 



444 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

health, and keeping the voice in good condition ; it 
exercises all the organs and sets the blood circulating. 
As it is perfectly natural, it cannot produce harm. In 
exercising the voice attention should be paid to the 
tone, the method of utterance, and the opening and 
closing of the sound. There should be perfect har- 
mony in all the movements of the vocal organs. 

THREE WAYS IN WHICH THE TONE MAY OPEN. 

1. The vocal cords may meet after air has begun 
to pass through the glottis. This will produce 
an aspirate-tone, and the action is called the glide 
of the glottis. The vocal ligaments not being held 
tightly together, more air passes through than is 
necessary for vocalization, and the tone is breathy or 
woolly, and so defective. 2. The vocal cords may meet 
before the air reaches them, and when the air ac- 
cumulates, they are forced open with a distinct click. 
This is called the check of the glottis, and as the cords 
are usually held tight, the air has always to force its 
way through, and the tone is consequently hard and 
metallic. 3. The vocal cords may meet at the very 
instant the air strikes them ; they are not pressed to- 
gether too tightly ; there is no undue escape of air and 
no obstacle to be overcome, and the consequence is 
that the tone is struck clear and decisive. This is 
the true and proper action, and being continued, the 
result is a clear, perfect and pleasing tone. There 
are many speakers whose voices are hard and metallic, 
who scarcely ever use the true method of opening a 
tone, but are continually using the second method. 
Others use the first frequently while others again mix 
the first and second methods. The third is the nor- 
mal method and must always be employed in order 
to produce pure tone. The first and second are used 




EDWAKD CABSWELL. 



CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 445 

only to express certain passions or emotions, and 

should not form a characteristic of ordinary speaking. 

THERE ARE FOUR METHODS OF CLOSING OR ENDING 

A TONE. 

1. The glottis may open suddenly before the emis- 
sion of breath ceases. In this case the tone will be 
followed by a rush of air, which is frequently audible. 
2. The larynx may close as in pressure, and this will 
produce a snap, which is louder and uglier the more 
abruptly made, and the tone seems to stick in the 
throat. 3. The expiratory effort may cease while the 
vocal cords are still approximated. 4. The expiratory 
effort ceases while the glottis opens at the same time. 
This is the true method, and should be followed by 
all those who wish to keep their vocal organs in good 
condition, and produce a clear and natural tone. In 





Fig. 1. Fig. l. 

A as in Akm. A as in Ale. 

practicing the following exercise let the student be 
careful to use the third method for opening the tone, 
and the fourth method for closing it. The body 
should be in an erect and easy position ; the head 
erect, but not raised too high. Draw in a full breath 
through the nostrils, then expel gently with the 
sound of a, as in arm. The pitch should be a middle 
pitch, or that which is easiest for the speaker ; care 
should be taken to make the tone smooth and musi- 
cal. The mouth should be moderately open as in 



44G 



ELOCUTION AND OllATORY. 



figure 1, and to insure its being- open a cork may be 
placed between the front teeth, until the pupil has 
learned to keep it open with ease. In making this 
sound the lips are drawn back at the end, the tongue 
lies on a level with the teeth, and is arched slightly 
at the back. See the positions for a, as in arm, in 
the chapter on pronunciation After this sound of 
a has been uttered for a few times, a as in ale may 
be taken. In uttering- this sound the mouth presents 
a long, narrow slit, th« lips are not oval, but nearly 
parallel, and the teeth displayed about as in figure 2. 
See the positions for this sound in the chapter on pro- 
nunciation. These sounds should be prolonged in 
utterances so as to strengthen the voice. 

The next sound is e, as in eve. In this the lips are 
brought nearer together than in a, as in ale, and the 





Fig. 3. Fig. 4. 

E as in Eve. O as in Old. 

transverse slit is more contracted, as shown in figure 3. 
See chapter on pronunciation for position of vocal 
organs. The next sound is o, as in old. By reference 
to figure 4, and the chapter on pronunciation, it will 
be seen that in uttering this sound the cavity of the 
mouth is rounded and the lips formed into a circle, 
while the tongue is depressed. These sounds should 
be practiced continually, as they have been found to 
be the best for trainingthe voice; besides, the positions 




CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 447 

assumed by the vocal organs in uttering the other 
vowels are modifications of those assumed in utter- 
ing' these four, hence easily obtained, when these 
have been mastered. Thus, the position for a, as in 
all, is similar to a, as in arm, the modification being 
produced by bringing the cheeks nearer to the teeth, 
while the ends of the lips are not so far asunder, and 
the opening above and below is wider. By contract- 
ing the lips from their position in o, as in old, and re- 
ducing the circular form of the ^ 
lips, we get o, as do, and so with \ I 
other vowel sounds ; very slight *\ 
modifications of the four vowels 
we have given will produce the 
others. These vowels we have 
given should be uttered, not only Fm. 5. 
in the way already mentioned, A as in All. 
but in different pitches ; that is, taking first a low 
tone, they should be sounded a little higher and a lit- 
tle higher until the pupil has reached the highest note 
he can easily utter. This will develop not only vol- 
ume of voice, but compass and flexibility. That the 
tone may be pure the voice should be sent out in a 
straight column to the front of the mouth. The fol- 
lowing table of vowel sounds should be practiced in 
the same way as those already given, also the words 
in which they are found : 

TABLE OF VOWEL SOUNDS. 

a as in ale, may. o as in old, go. 

a as in arm, car. 56 as in ooze, too. 

a as in all, law. 6 as in on, gone, 

a as in can, at. u as in use, few. 

e as in eve, ease. ti as in up, cut. 

e as in end, set. u as in full, pull. 

I as in isle, pine. oi as in oil, soil. 

i as in pin, pit. ou as in our, out. 



448 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 





TABLE 


OF WORDS FOR PRACTICE. 




Charm, 


Farm, 


Star. 




Fee, 


Glee, 


Knee. 


Calm, 


Palm, 


Alarm. 




Seal, 


Peel, 


Reel. 


Male, 


Dale, 


Pale. 




Bend, 


Lend, 


Rend. 


Way, 


Gay, 


Main. 




Send, 


Fen, 


Den. 


Hall, 


Ball, 


Call. 




Mile, 


Pile, 


Find. 


Awe, 


Pall, 


Fall. 




Kind, 


Mind, 


Hind. 


Man, 


Kan, 


Clan. 




Kin, 


Din, 


Tin. 


Can, 


Fan, 


Stand. 




Fin, 


Sin, 


Skin. 


Old, 


Cold, 


Gold. 




Cup, 


Sup, 


Hut. 


Flow, 


Go, 


Row. 




Wool, 


Bull, 


Pull. 


Noose, 


Choose, 


Lose. 




Fool, 


Pool, 


Put. 


Hew, 


Due, 


Infuse. 




Urn, 


Unto, 


Under. 


Con, 


Anon, 


Don. 




Boil, 


Coil, 


Moil. 


On, 


Sob, 


Sod. 




Oil. 


Foil. 


Toil. 


Truce, 


Deuce, 


Loose. 




Hour, 


Lour, 


Sour. 


Book, 


Look, 


Took. 




Our, 


Power, 


Dower 




SENTENCES FOR TRAINING THE 


VOICE. 




1. Ho ! 


Bring the boat over : 


Come 


on! 






2. All call Paul to the ball. 










3. Ring 


joyous chords ; ring 


out again. 






4. The full round o: 


rb of the i 


Morions 


sun. 







5. O precious hours ; O golden prime, 

And affluence of love and time. 

6. Boat ahoy ! Boat ahoy ! 

For other exercises in the cultivation of the voice, 
see the sections in the chapter on the analysis of the 
voice. In these sections will be found exercises 
which have special reference to the cultivation of the 
voice as regards quality. Great advantage can be 
derived from the study and practice of the registers 
of the voice. 

Register is a series of tones produced by the same 
mechanism, i. e. the same use and position of the 
vocal ligaments. The human voice taken as a whole, 
is generally considered to have three registers. To 
these registers the best authorities have given the 
Dames, thick, thin, and small. These names are se- 



CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 449 

lected because they express certain characteristics of 
the vocal organ or tone. A certain number of tones 
on the scale are uttered by the same mechanism of 
the vocal cords, and in producing "these tones the 
vocal cords vibrate through their whole length, 
breadth and thickness ; the slit between the cords is 
elliptical and the vocal cords in producing these tones 
are of great bulk and thickness ; hence the term 
thick is applied to that register. It includes all tones 

of the human voice up to —f) but as the voice 

goes higher up the scale, -( y r \ ^ — a change takes 
place in the mechanism qj ' — *" of the vocal or- 

gans. The epiglottis is more elevated. Some of 
the ligaments come closer together. The vocal cords 
are stretched and made thinner, while they vibrate in 
their thin inner edges. The slit between the vocal 
cords is linear. The voice loses its volume and be- 
comes higher in the musical scale, hence it is called 
the thin register. This goes as high as the note 
when another change takes rjlace in the 

mechanism. In the RJEEpEE fr° n t part of the 
glottis an oval orifice txgz:£zi is formed, but small 
in size, as the greater part of the vocal 

cords are pressed together, so that no slit remains 
except the oval orifice, and the action of the vocal 
cords is confined only to a small part ; hence it is 
called the small register. 

These are the characteristics of the three registers, 
but as the voice goes up the scale in each of the 
three registers, there are slight changes in the 
mechanism, but not sufficient to alter the general 
characteristics, as, for instance, in the small. As the 
tone goes higher the oval orifice becomes smaller. 
These slight changes have led some authors to make 
five divisions, viz. : lower thick, upper thick, lower 



450 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

thin, upper thin and small. It is possible to force 
the voice to strike tones in an upper register with the 
mechanism of the lower, but the tone is not so good, 
and it produces a strain on the organs which is inju- 
rious. The aim in training the voice should be to 
cultivate it so that the mechanism will be changed 
at the proper place, and the distinction between the 
quality of the voice of the different registers should 
not be too marked, but that one register should blend 
into the other in a sweet and musical way, the tone 
preserving its sweetness. Thus one register should 
not be characterized by a growl, another by a moan 
and another by a shriek. It is thought by some 
authorities that the falsetto is produced by forcing 
the register. 

Limits .of the Registers — The extreme limits of 
the registers include the compass from the lowest 
tones of the bass to the highest of the soprano. No 
one voice can sing all these notes, nevertheless these 
registers exist in all voices, and bass, tenor, contralto 
and soprano can sing in the three registers, but the 
compass is not so great as we have given. The tenor 
joins in most readily in the lower thick as soon as the 
bass has gone high enough for him to join in easily. 
The contralto joins in the lower thick. The soprano 
joins in the upper thick. They are all able to sing in 
the three registers, but they can join in most readily 
at different notes in the scale. In singing, the pas- 
sage from one register to another is usually gradual, 
but in speaking it is often sudden. That is, the voice 
jumps from one register to the other very quickly 
according to the sentiment. The aim in training 
should be to develop and strengthen these registers 
as it makes the compass and quality of the tones 
much more sweet, pliant and agreeable if they are 



CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 



451 



struck by the mechanism of the vocal organs winch 
is peculiar to the register in which the tone belongs ; 
while if a tone in one register is struck by a mechan- 
ism which belongs to another register, the tone will 
always be faulty, while the strain on the vocal organs 
will be injurious and the compass will not be so great. 
All singers and speakers should be careful to strike 
the high and low tones of their voices by the proper 
mechanism, and the tone will be rich, pleasing and 
harmonious, besides being easy of production. Some 
singers sing their high notes with the mechanism of 
the upper tiS^fwhen they should use the mechanism 
of the small register. The consequence is, that the 
tone has not that rich, ringing clearness which it 
ought to have, and is characterized by shrillness and 
falsetto quality. The acquirement of register is 
easily obtained by singing such exercises as follows : 



-W* 1 




1 J H fr* 




to J m 


• 


1 ?_JJ 


^ iJ- — J— 4 



oo, 



oh, 



a.h 



ah. 



oh, 



00. 



These tones should be sung softly, and each note 
struck clearly and distinctly. A full inspiration 
should be taken at the beginning, and after each note 
a slight inspiration. Do not inhale more air than is 
consumed in uttering the tone, else the lungs will be- 
come overcrowded. The short inspirations are sim- 
ply for the purpose of giving the vocal organs a 
chance to re-arrange themselves and the muscles to 
open and close, thus making it more easy to assume 
the mechanism for different registers. An easy pitch 
should be chosen for the exercise and the slight in- 
spiration after every tone not omitted, as it is essen- 
tial to the exercise. The pitch at which it is started 



452 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

should be raised easily by semitones, as the pupil ac- 
quires more skill. The aim should not be to force 
the registers but to change the mechanism, if neces- 
sary, a tone or two below its proper place, so as to 
make it easier for the singer. This exercise may be 
varied by taking different syllables and words and by 
singing softly, slowly and quickly. 






CHAPTEE XXIII. 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 

The voice of a good reader or speaker pleases the 
ear by its sound. Free from all affected suavity and 
faults of feebleness and undue loudness, the utter- 
ance of the sounds in every word is perfectly distinct, 
but not pedantic or labored. There are no faults of 
pronunciation, due to negligent usage or corrupted 
style. While it is not broken or irregular in its move- 
ment, the delivery is varied and melodious,' but free 
from all measured rhythmical chanting or monotonous 
recurrence of the same sounds. The expression is 
made clear, the meaning and sentiment brought out 
fully, and the matter made interesting to the listener 
by a due observance of appropriate pauses and im- 
pressive cessations of voice. Emphasis is given in 
a proper, easy, and natural way, which is entirely free 
from jagged, harsh or abrupt utterance, and the im- 
portance of particular words and clauses is shown in 
a natural way. The inflections of the voice are varied 
upward or downward as the successive words and 
clauses demand, not after the manner of uniform rise 
and fall which is so common in schools. The charac- 
(453) 



454 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



ter and degree of every emotion and sentiment is 
marked by the tones which it requires, and thus a 
perfect harmony is produced that gives speech a 
varied melody very pleasing to the ear. A good 
voice is round, full, pure, smooth, clear, liquid and 
musical ; it has strength, compass, flexibility, inten- 
sity and volume. 

In analysing the voice for the purposes of instruc- 
tion in delivery, we find the following essential prop- 
erties of good style in speaking and reading : 

8. Appropriate Pauses. 

9. Just Degree of Force. 

10. Just Stress. 

11. Good Rhythm. 

12. Right Emphasis. 

13. Appropriate Modulation. 

14. Correct Transition of Tone. 



1. Good Quality of voice. 

2. Distinct Articulation. 

3. Proper Accent. 

4. Correct Pronunciation. 

5. Proper Pitch. 

6. Correct Inflection. 

7. True Time. 



QUALITY OR TIMBRE. 

The quality or timbre of a voice, is that by which 
we distinguish one voice from another. It depends 
upon the size, shape and form of the vocal organs, 
and the resonating cavities ; it also depends on the 
conformation of the waves of sound, the amplitude 
and form of the vibrations, and on what is called the 
ground-tone and over-tones of the voice. The ground 
or fundamental tone, is that which strikes us most 
prominently in the voice ; it is the main part of the 
sound, and hence is called the ground-tone. But if 
we pay close attention to the sound of the voice, other 
tones, which are higher in pitch, will be noticed 
mingled with the ground-tone, and these are called 
upper-tones or over-tones, they bear a certain re- 
lation to the ground-tone, and when this relation is 
perfect the voice has harmony of sound, and the ef- 
fect is pleasing, but if the relations are not correct, 



ANALYSIS Otf THE VOICE. 455 

the voice will have some defect in quality. A good 
voice as regards its quality and power, has the follow- 
ing characteristics : 



Roundness. 


Compass. 


Smoothness. 


Intensity. 


Mellowness. 


Reach. 


Clearness. 


Guttural. 


Sympathy. 


Pectoral. 


Versatility. 


Falsetto. 


Strength. 


Nasal. 



Roundness or Orotund property imparts grandeur 
to the voice, it is the ringing fulness of tone belong- 
ing to the utterance of earnest and animated feeling, 
when no false habits obstruct the sound. It is called 
the orotund or round-mouthed voice, because of the 
roundness and fulness of the tone, and the roundness 
and openness of the throat and mouth in emitting the 
sound. The orotund voice has great resonance and 
power, but while it is perfectly pure it is characterized 
by great volume and energy. It is, perhaps, the 
greatest perfection of voice, it is pure tone, deepened 
and intensified by the earnest and vehement feelings 
or profound emotions of the soul which gives it body, 
force and resonance. 

It is the natural voice for expressing determination, 
boldness, majesty, sublimity, adoration, reverence, 
delight and admiration, pomp, vastness, bombast and 
self-importance. To develop this quality of voice the 
student should observe the following directions in 
practice : 

Let the body be perfectly upright, but in an easy 
and natural position, free from all rigidness or undue 
tension. The head should be held erect, not permitted 
to droop or incline ; the back should be straight and the 
shoulders held backward and downward. The chest 



456 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

must be expanded, according to the directions given 
in the chapter on breathing, so as to make as much 
room as possible for breath. By breathing freely and 
deeply, keep up a good supply of breath, but in an 
easy manner without any strain on the lungs. Open 
the mouth and throat freely, and drive out the air 
by using the abdominal muscles energetically. Try 
to make the voice round, full and pure, and practice 
in the style of vehement declamation the following 
examples : 

Who is the man that, in addition to the disgraces and 
mischiefs of the war, has dared to authorise, and associate with 
our arms the Tomahawk and scalping-knife of the savage ; to 
call into civilized alliance, the wild and inhuman inhabitant of 
the woods? to delegate to the merciless Indian, the defence of 
disputed rights and to Mage the horrors of this barbarous war, 
against our brethren ? My Lords, we are called upon as members 
of this house, as men, as Christians, to protest against such hor- 
rible barbarity ! I solemnly call upon your lordships, and upon 
every order of men in the state, to stamp upon this infamous pro- 
cedure the indelible stigma of the public abhorrence. 

Ye crags and peaks, I'm with you once again ! 

I hold to you the hands you first beheld, 

To show they still are free. Methinks I hear 

A spirit in your echoes answer me, 

And bid your tenant welcome to his home 

Again ! O sacred forms, how proud you look ! 

How high you lift your heads into the sky ! 

How huge you are ! how mighty, and how free ! 

Ye are the things that tower, that shine -whose smile 

Makes glad, whose frown is terrible, whose forms 

Robed or unrobed, do all the impress wear 

Of awe divine. Ye guards of liberty, 

I'm with you once again ? I call to you 

With all my voice ! I hold my hands to you 

To show they still are free. I rush to you 

As though I could embrace you ! 

Eoundness or orotund quality of voice is of three 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 457 

kinds, according to the intensity of the emotion and 
the manner of emitting the breath in sound. These 
are called effusive, expulsive, and explosive orotund. 
Effusive orotund is that utterance of full, round voice 
which is not sent forth with any voluntary expulsion 
or forced emission of breath. It is a gentle flowing 
of the voice and the breath is emitted in a tranquil, 
easy manner, but still firm and full, so as to produce 
firmness, roundness and smoothness of sound. It 
expresses the feelings of pathos, solemnity, grandeur, 
sublimity, reverence and adoration. 

The curfew tolls, — the knell of parting day ; 

The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea ; 
The plowman homeward plods his weary way, 
And leaves the world to darkness and to me. 
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, 

And all the air a solemn stillness holds, 
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight, 
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds. 
He gave the spear to my hand and raised ' at once a stone 
on high, to speak to future times, with its gray head of moss. 
Beneath, he placed a sword in earth, and one bright bass from his 
shield. Dark in thought, awhile he bends ; his words at length 
came forth : 
When thou. O stone, shalt moulder down and lose thee in the moss 

of years : 
Then shall the traveller come, and whistling pass away. 
Thou knowest not, feeble man, that fame once shone on Moi-lena. 
Here, Fingal resigned his spear after the last of his fields ; 
Pass away, thou empty shade ! in thy voice there is no renown, 
Thou dwellest by some peaceful stream : yet a few years, and thou 

art gone. 
Xo one remembers thee, thou dweller of thick mist ! 
But Fingal shall be clothed with fame, a beam of light to other 

times; 
For he went forth, with echoing steel, to save the weak in arms. 

The sun was setting in the western sky, 
The hills put on their sober garb of gray 



458 ELOCUTION AN!) ORATORY. 

As to his home the youth was drawing nigh — 
Before his path the village churchyard lay 
With its gray head-stones ranged in sad array. 
How many mortals of illustrious name 
Within these graves are mouldering into clay, 
Who once in youth had felt ambition's flame 
Urging them on to seek enduring fame. 

Thou glorious mirror! where the Almighty's form 
Glasses itself in tempests ; in all time — 

Calm or convulsed in breeze, or gale, or storm, 
Iceing the pole, or in the torrid clime 

Dark-heaving — boundless, endless and sublime. 

The image of Eternity — the throne of the Invisible. 

Expulsive orotund is characterized by vehement ex- 
pulsion of breath. It is a strong and empassioned 
quality of voice which is full of majesty, power, and 
force, and it is the language of all declamatory 
speaking, and earnest impassioned emotion. 

The war is actually begun ! The next gale that sweeps from 
the North will bring to our ears the sound of clashing arms ! Our 
brethren are already in the field ! Why stand we here idle ? What 
is it that gentlemen wish ? What would they have ? Is life so dear, 
or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and 
slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course 
others may take ; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death ! 

My sentence is for open war : of wiles 

More unexpert, I boast not ; then let those 
Contrive w T ho need, or when they need — not now 
For, while they sit contriving, shall the rest, 
Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait 
The signal to ascend sit lingering here 
Heaven's fugitives, and for their dwelling-place 
Accept this dark, opprobrious den of shame — 
The prison of his tyranny who reigns 
By our delay ? No, let us rather choose, 
Armed with hell's flames and fury all at once, 
O'er heaven's high towers to force resistless way, 
Turning our tortures into horrid arms 
Against the torturer ; when, to meet the noise 



ANALYSIS OF THE TOICE. 459 

Of his almighty engine, he shall hear 
Infernal thunder, and for lightning see 
Black fire and horror shot, with equal rage, 
Among his angels, and his throne itself 
Mixed with Tartarean sulphur and strange fire — 
His own invented torments. 

Where rests the sword ! — where sleep the brave 
Awake ! Cecropia's ally save 

From the fury of the blast ; 
Burst the storm on Phocis' walls, — 
Rise ! or Greece forever falls ; 

Up ! or Freedom breathes her last ! 

Explosive orotund is a strong instantaneous burst of 
voice which has a sharp, quick, clear and cutting effect 
on the ear. It strikes the nerves and sensibility like 
a sudden alarm, and rouses the whole power of the 
mind. It is the language of intense passion, when the 
emotion becomes so violent that the will cannot con- 
trol it. This quality also expresses sudden terror, 
frenzy, anger, courage and any form of overpowering 
emotion. A voice without this quality, which im- 
parts life and energy, will have but little effect in 
speaking. In these exercises be sure that a full 
breath is taken, and expel it like a sudden cough. 

An hour passed on — the Turk awoke ; 

That bright dream was his last ; 

He woke — to hear his sentry's shriek 
11 To arms, to arms ! the Greek, the Greek !" 

He woke — to die 'midst flame and smoke, 

And shout and groan, and sabre stroke, 

And death-shots falling thick and fast 

As lightnings from the mountain cloud ; 

And heard with voice as trumpet loud 

Bozzaris cheer his band. 

"Strike — till the last armed foe expires; 

Strike — for your altars and your fires ; 

Strike — for the green graves of your sires 
God and your native land ! " 



460 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Villains ! you did not threat when your vile daggers 
Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar ! 
You showed your teeth like apes and fawned like hounds, 
And bowed like bondsmen, kissing Caesar's feet, 
Whilst damned Casca, like a cur behind, 
Struck Caesar on the neck — Oh fathers ! 
Talk not to me 
Of odds or match ! — "When Comyn died 
Three daggers clashed within his side. 
Talk not to me of sheltering hall ! 
The Church of God saw Comyn fall ! 
On God's own altar streamed his blood, 
While o'er my prostrate kinsman stood 
The ruthless murderer : even as now 
With sheltering hand and scornful brow. 
Up, all who love me ! — blow on blow, 
And lay the out-lawed felons low ! 
Whence and what art thou, execrable shape ? 
That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance 
Thy miscreated front athwart my way 
To yonder gates ? Through them I mean to pass- 
That be assured, — without leave asked of thee ; 
Retire ! or taste thy folly ; and learn by proof, 
Hell-born ! not to contend with spirits of heaven, 
SMOOTHNESS OR PURITY. 
Smoothness of voice in speech is the same as 
pure tone in music. It is the ordinary tone of a good 
well-trained voice. It is made by producing a smooth, 
clear, even, round, liquid stream of sound, free from 
all impurity, and resembling to the ear the effect 
produced on the eye by the flow of a clear, trans- 
parent stream of water. This quality derives reson- 
ance from the chest, firmness from the throat, and 
clearness from the head and mouth. It is seen in the 
natural, smooth and pure tone of children, when the 
voice comes forth free and unrestrained in vivid and 
healthy utterance. Pure tone is entirely free from 
such faults as the hollow note of the chest, the 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 461 

choked, stifled or harsh sound of the strained or com- 
pressed throat, the harsh, reedy and grating style of 
too forcible a use of breath, the nasal twang, the 
wiry or false ring of the voice, which is composed of 
guttural and nasal tones, and from the affected, 
mincing or oral tone of the mouth. Pure tone de- 
pends on a free, upright and easy position of the body, 
a natural, deep, and tranquil inspiration of breath, 
and a gentle, easy and firm giving out of the breath 
in a pure musical sound ; free from everything that 
mars or hinders the smoothness of the sound. The 
following examples should be repeated with a view 
to make the voice as smooth and musical as possible. 

It was an eve of autnmn's holiest mood, 
The corn-fields, bathed in Cynthia's silver light, 
Stood ready for the reaper's gathering hand, 
And all the winds slept soundly. Nature seemed, 
In silent contemplation, to adore 
Its maker. Now and then the aged leaf 
Fell from its fellows, rustling to the ground, 
And, as it fell, bade man think on his end. 

Vesper looked forth 
From out her Western hermitage, and smiled; 
And up the East, unclouded, rose the moon 
With all her stars, gazing on earth intense, 
As if she saw some wonder working there. 

No sooner had the Almighty ceased, but all 
The multitudes of angels, with a shout, 
Loud as from numbers without number, sweet 
As from blest voices uttering joy, heaven rung 
With jubilee, and loud hozannas filled 
The eternal regions; — lowly, reverent, 
Towards either throne they bow, and to the ground 
With solemn adoration, down they cast 
Their crowns, inwove with amaranth and gold ; 
Then crowned again, their golden harps they took, 
Harps ever tuned, that, glittering by their side 
Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet 



462 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

Of charming symphony they introduce 
Their sacred song, and waken raptures high. 

The air, the earth, the water, teem with delighted existence. 
On a spring noon, or summer evening, on whichever side we turn 
our eyes, myriads of happy beings crowd upon our view. The 
insect youth are on the wing. Swarms of new-born flies are try- 
ing their pinions in the air. Their sportive motions, their gratui- 
tous activity, their continual change of place without use or pur- 
pose testify their joy and the exultation which they feel in their 
lately-discovered faculties. 

MELLOWNESS OR SWEETNESS. 

This is a quality of voice to which we readily apply 
the terms sweet, rich, mellow, silvery. It is a gentle 
flowing-out of sound, which pleases and charms the 
ear. Mellowness and sweetness are really character- 
istics of pure tone, and might be included under that 
term, but there is the same difference between pure 
tone and mellowness as there is between ripe and 
mellow fruit. Mellowness is a characteristic of the 
utterance of all sweet, pleasing and entrancing emo- 
tions. In repeating the following exercises try to 
make the voice as mellow and silvery as possible by 
a gentle effusion of breath. 

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank ; 

Here will we sit and let the sounds of music 

Creep in our ears. Soft stillness and the night 

Become the touches of sweet harmony. 

Sit Jessica, look how the floor of heaven 

Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold. 

There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st 

But in his motion like an angel sings, 

Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubin, 

Such harmony is in immortal souls ; 

But while this muddy vesture of decay 

Doth grossly close us in, we cannot hear it. 
Is it the chime of a tiny bell 
That comes so sweet to my dreaming ear, 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 463 

Like the silvery tones of a fairy's shell, 

That he winds on the beach so mellow and clear, 
When the winds and the waves lie together asleep, 
And the moon and the fairy are watching the deep ? 
She dispensing her silvery light 
And he his notes as silvery quite, 
While the boatman listens and ships his oar, 
To catch the music that comes from the shore. 
Hark the notes, on my ear that play, 
Are set to words — as they float they say : 
"Passing away, passing away." 
Can any mortal mixture of earth's mould 
Breathe such divine, enchanting ravishment ? 
Sure something holy lodges in the breast, 
And with these raptures, moves the vocal air 
To testify his hidden residence. 
How sweetly did they float upon the wings 
Of silence, through the empty -vaulted night. 
At every fall smoothing the raven down 
Of darkness, till it smiled. 

Clearness or Liquidness is a characteristic of 
purity. The term is applied to sounds that stand out 
distinct without being mixed with any tone to which 
the terms obscure or husky would apply. The pleas- 
ure of music and the perception of the meaning de- 
pend upon the clearness of the sounds. This quality 
gives a bright, clear, joyous ring to the voice and a 
great penetrating power. 

Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet 
With charm of earliest birds ; pleasant the sun 
When first on this delightful land he spreads 
His orient beams on herb, tree, fruit and flower, 
Glistening with dew ; fragrant the fertile earth 
After soft showers ; and sweet the coming on 
Of grateful evening mild. 

Deep in the wave is a coral grove 
Where the purple mullet and gold-fish rove, 
Where the sea-flower spreads its leaves of blue 
That never are wet with falling dew, 



464 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

But In bright and changeful beauty shine 
Far down in the green and glassy brine. 

Hear the sledges with the bells, 

Silver bells ! 
What a world of merriment their melody foretells? 
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. 

In the icy air of night ! 
While the stars that oversprinkle 
All the heavens, seem to twinkle 

With a crystalline delight, 
Keeping time, time, time, 
In a sort of Runic rhyme, 
To the tin-tin-abulation that so musically swells 
From the bells, bells, bells, bells, 
Bells, bells, bells— 
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells. 

Look, look through our glittering ranks afar 

In the infinite azure, star after star, 

How they brighten and bloom as they swiftly pass ! 

How the verdure runs o'er each rolling mass ! 

And the path of the gentle winds is seen 

Where the small waves dance and the young woods lean. 

Sympathy. — The voice is made soft, attractive, al- 
luring- and persuasive. It lias the power to awaken 
the sympathies of the hearer and draw him to the 
speaker. An orator with this kind of voice can 
charm the most obstinate into faith and obedience, 
and it ought to be striven after by all. It is exempli- 
fied when we try to convince a frightened or timid 
child that we will not hurt it, but wish to do it good. 
In uttering the words, " My dear child, I will not 
hurt you, do not be afraid," the voice is softened to 
gain the child's confidence and this is what is 
called the sympathetic voice. 

We are drawing near to a festival day by the usage of ages, 
consecrated to celebrate the birth of Christ. At his advent God 
hung out a prophet-star in the heaven ; guided by it the wise men 
journeyed from the east and worshipped at his feet. Oh, let the 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 465 

star of purity hang out to thine eye, brighter than the orient orb 
to the Magi. Let it lead thee, not to the Babe, but to His feet who 
now stands in Heaven a Prince and Saviour ? If thou hast sinned, 
one look, one touch shall cleanse thee whilst thou art worshipping 
and thou shalt rise up healed. 

(Mai. Ad.) I have not ; 
Yet will I ask for it. We part forever : 
This is our last farewell ; the king is satisfied ; 
The judge has spoke the irrevocable sentence. 
None sees, none hears, save that Omniscient power, 
Which, trust me, will not frown to look upon 
Two brothers part like such. When in the face 
Of forces once my own I'm led to death, 
Then be thine eye unmoistened ; let thy voice 
Then speak my doom untrembling, then 
Unmoved, behold this stiff and blackened corpse. 
But now I ask — nay, turn not, Saladin ! 
I ask one single pressure of thy hand ; 
From that stern eye one solitary tear — 
Oh torturing recollection ! one kind word 
From the tongue which once breathed naught but kindness, 
Still silent ? Brother ! friend ! beloved companion 
Of all my youthful sports ! are they forgotten ? 
Strike me with deafness, make me blind. O Heaven ! 
Let me not see this unforgiving man 
Smile at my agonies ; nor hear that voice 
Pronounce my doom, which would not say one word, 
One little word, whose cherished memory 
Would soothe the struggles of departed life ; 
Yet, yet thou wilt ! Oh turn thee, Saladin ; 
Look on my face — thou can'st not spurn me, then 
Look on the once loved face of Malek Adhel 
For the last time and call him — 
Sal. (seising his hand). Brother ! Brother ! 

VERSATILITY OR PLIANCY OF VOICE. 

This is the power of easily and instantly changing 
the voice to express every emotion that occurs in 
reading or speaking. It is the power to change not 
only the quality, but the pitch, volume, force and 



466 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

strength of voice. Versatility is the fundamental 
element of all animated and forcible delivery, and 
the life and spirit of expression ; it is used on all 
words and syllables that have not the same pitch or 
force throughout. To acquire this power, the student 
should practice his voice in the most rapid transitions 
of force, pitch, quality and volume, and by reciting 
such passages as contain a great variety of tone as 
loud or high, soft or low, fast or slow. The most an- 
imated and impassioned passages should be selected, 
as they afford the greatest scope for change. The 
reading or recitation of dialogues and humorous se- 
lections, are of very great importance, since their im- 
personation of the various characters give ample op- 
portunity for changing the voice. 
Very Loud. 

And dar'st thou, then 

To beard the lion in his den — 

The Douglas in his hall ? 

And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go ? 

No, by St. Bride of Bothwell, no ! 

Up, drawbridge, groom ! What warden, ho I 
Let the portcullis fall ! 

. Very Soft. 

I've seen the moon climb the mountain's brow, 
I've watched the mists o'er the river stealing, 

But ne'er did I feel in my breast till now 
So deep, so calm, and so holy a feeling : 

'Tis soft as the thrill which memory throws 

Athwart the soul in the hour of repose. 

Very Low. 

Methought I heard a voice cry, " Sleep no more," 
Macbeth doth murder sleep— the innocent sleep ; 
Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care, 
The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath, 
Balm of hurt minds ; great Nature's second course ; 

I 



ANALYSIS OE THE VOICE. 467 

Chief nourisher in Life's breast, 

Still it cried, " Sleep no more," to all the house. 

Veey High. 

I awoke — where was I ? — do I see 

A human face look down on me ? 

And doth a roof above me close ? 

Do these limbs on a couch repose ? 

Is this a chamber where I lie ? 

And is it mortal, yon bright eye, 

That watches me with gentle glance ? 
Veey Slow. 
Of old hast Thou laid the foundations of the earth ; and the heavens 
are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt en- 
dure : yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment ; as a vesture 
shalt Thou change them ; but Thou art the same, and Thy years 
shall have no end. 

Veey Quick. 
Away! — away! — and on we dash, 
Torrents less rapid and less rash ! 
Away away, my steed and I, 
Upon the pinions of the wind, 
All human dwellings left behind ; 
We sped like meteors through the sky I 
Subdued Foece. 

Behold the bed of death — 

This pale and lovely clay ! 
Heard ye the sob of parting breath ? 

Marked ye the eye's last ray ? 
No ; — life so sweetly ceased to be 

It lapsed in immortality. 

Strength or Yolume is the power to produce 
loud sounds with ease, in distinction from a voice 
which can utter only weak or feeble sounds. Strength 
of voice depends upon the extent of the vibrations to 
and fro, or the size of the sound waves. The greater 
the space through which the vocal cords vibrate, the 
louder will be the sound, and this depends upon the 






4G8 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

degree of force with which the breath is driven against 
the cords. It also depends on the size and capacity 
of the chest and resonating cavities. Loudness must 
not be confounded with quality, pitch, or compass, 
for a sound may be loud or soft and yet not be high 
or low. Strength of voice enables the speaker to be 
heard without effort, if the articulation is good, and 
it also renders it easy to speak for a long time or in 
a large building. All great speakers have had strong 
or powerful voices, and it has been one of the ele- 
ments of power in delivery in all ages. A certain 
amount of loudness is agreeable to the ear, but all 
undue loudness is a great annoyance and produces 
pain in the listener besides being injurious to the ex- 
pression. Loudness should be regulated -by the size 
of the building and the force or sentiment of the 
words to be spoken. Daily and systematic exercise 
of the voice will produce a wonderful improvement 
in strength of voice. Practice in the open air is one 
of the best means of developing this power, but 
care should be used not to strain the voice. The 
breathing exercises should be practiced in order to 
develop this power, and they should be accompanied 
with explosions of the voice. There are three de- 
grees of loudness, moderate, forcible and impassioned 
according as the sentiment is one or the other. 

MODERATE VOLUME. 

An author represents Adam using the words. 

I remember the moment when my existence commenced ; it 
was a moment replete with joy, amazement and anxiety. I 
neither knew what I was, where I was, nor whence I came. I 
opened my eyes. What an increase of sensation ! The light, the 
celestial vault, the verdure of the earth, the transparency of the 
waters, gave animation to my spirits and conveyed pleasure 
which exceeds the powers of utterance. 






ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 469 

FOKCLBLE VOLUME. 

How different now is that wailing cry from the joyous shout of 
acclamation uttered by the whole Muscovite nation when the Czar 
proclaimed war. How different now must be the thoughts and 
hopes of that Czar, as he sits enthroned at St. Petersburg, while 
every day the electric wires flash the intelligence of some new 
disaster. Oh ! could he have seen the disastrous end of this 
gigantic enterprise before he entered on its beginning. Could he 
have thrown aside the deceitful glare of ambition, the emulations 
of Prussian glory, the visions of conquest and of extended em- 
pire ; could he have forgotten the number of his troops, and the 
splendor of their accoutrements, and beheld only those heart- 
rending scenes on the Balkans, and have heard only the shrieks of 
his dying soldiers, and the wailing sobs bursting from the 
lacerated hearts of millions of his people ; could he have felt 
the burden of that national debt, under which these wretched 
people and their wretched descendants will groan forever, he 
would never have unfurled the standard of war, the heel of the 
departing Muscovite soldier would never have rung on the pave- 
ment of St. Petersburg. 



IMPASSIONED VOLUME. 

Strike, ye soldiers of the cross! strike, till superstition hides 
her head in shame ! Strike, till tyranny cowers in abject terror! 
Strike, till dishonesty, avarice, murder and every crime is banished 
from the world ! Strike, till truth, honor, purity and virtue shall 
everywhere prevail ! 

Purge from your ranks, ye lovers of truth, of honor, and of 
temperance all such men. Tear from their shoulders their 
pious cloaks with which they hide their hideous deeds ; bid them 
stand aside, and let the sun stream in his brilliant beams to lighten 
up the appalling aspect of vice when stripped of all its dazzling 
guises. Do this and your victory is at hand. Let no one lag be- 
hind, for the vice, intemperance, is rampant everywhere, among 
rich and poor alike. There is no country which Bacchus has uot 
subjugated. The far-penetrating sun illumines no land where his 
revels have not sounded. 

For other examples see the chapter on force. 



470 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Compass or range. — This is the range of pitch over 
which the voice extends. A good voice should be 
capable of sounding with purity and force both 
the high and low notes of the musical scale. 
There should be no thin, shrill or falsetto sound on 
the high notes, and the low notes should be full, rich 
and mellow. Too often the low notes are harsh and 
grating, while the high notes are screechy. 

Compass depends upon the vibrations which the 
vocal cords are capable of producing, and the power 
of the resonant cavities. A good range is absolutely 
necessary to good speaking ; for the varieties of pitch 
and inflection and the expressions of the emotions and 
passions in voice depend upon it, and it is thus an 
element of great power in delivery. 

To gain power in compass the student must practice 
his voice in running up and down the musical scale ; 
singing is excellent for this, and repeating the notes 
of the scale at intervals. Sentences and words are 
also to be repeated, beginning low at first and then 
raising the voice a little higher and higher till the 
highest point of the voice is reached. When the 
voice is weak on the low notes these should be prac- 
ticed, and when weak on the high notes they should 
be practiced. High notes should be repeated quickly, 
and low notes slowly, as it is more easy to do so, but 
prolongations of both are also necessary. The student 
in his practice should endeavour to strengthen the 
compass he is already possessed of, and also to in- 
crease that compass by strengthening his highest and 
lowest notes, and by developing others still higher 
and lower. The exercises in the chapters on pitch, 
modification and versatility will be found very useful 
in developing compass. The following exercise 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 



471 



should be practiced faithfully by the student, together 
Avith others which will readily suggest themselves. 



Dr. Marigold ! Dr. Marigold ! 
Who is that young man hanging 
round your cart ? 



High pitch. 



E-mi. 



Falsetto or 

Screaming 

Tone. 



Full tone. 



D-ray. 



Ring joyous chords, — ring out 

again ; 
A swifter still and a wilder strain, 
And bring fresh wreaths ; we 

will banish all, 
Save the free in heart from our 

festive hall. 



Very high 
tone. 



Middle-Do. 
Full tone. 



C-do. 



Now strike the golden lyre 

again ; 
A louder yet, and a louder strain. 
Break his bands of sleep asunder, 
And rouse him like a rattling peal 

of thunder. 



Very high 

tone for joy 

or alarm. 



Semitone. 



B-si. 



O look, my son, upon yon sign 
Of the Redeemer's grace di- 
vine ; 
O think on faith and bliss ! 



High tone 

for pathos or 

entreaty. 



Middle 

pitch. 

Full tone. 



A-la. 



So, they come, they come, 
Garlands for every shrine, 

Strike lyres to greet them home, 
Briug roses, pour ye wine. 



High tone. 



Full tone. 



G-sol. 



Come one— come all ; this rock 

shall fly 
From its firm base as soon as I. 



Bold tone of 
courage. 



Full tone. 



F.fa. 



But the same unalterable Be- 
ing will still preside over the 
universe through all its changes, 
and from his remembrance we 
shall never be blotted out. 



Grave tone, 



Semitone. 



E-mi. 



The Niobe of nations ; there she 
stands, 

Childless and crownless, in her 
voiceless woe ; 

An empty urn within her with- 
ered hands, 

Whose holy dust was scattered 
lonir airo. 



Pathos and 
Sublimity. 



472 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



Full tone. 



D-ray. 



The bell strikes one. We take no 

note of time, 
But from its loss ; to give it then 

a tongue 
Is wise in man. As if an angel 

spoke, 
I feel the solemn sound. 



Solemnity. 



Low-Do. 
Full tone. 



C-do. 



They oared the broad Lomond, 
so still and serene ; 

And deep in her bosom how aw- 
ful the scene ! 

Over mountains inverted the 
blue water curled, 

And rocked them o'er skies of a 
far nether world. 



Awe. 



Semitone. 



B.si. 



Deep in the earth 
Groaned unimaginable thunder 
— sounds [died. 

Fearful and ominous, arose and 
Like the sad moanings of Novem- 
ber's wind 
In the blank midnight. Deepest 

horror chilled 
His blood that burned before ; 
cold clammy sweats came 
o'er him. 



Deep tone of 
Love. 



Low pitch. 
Full tone. 



A-la. 



I am thy father's spirit ; 
Doomed for a certain term to 

walk the night 
And for the day confined to fast 

in fires, 
Till the foul crimes done in my 

days of nature 
Are burnt and purged away. 



Deepest tone 
of love, Hol- 
low and 
Sepulchral. 



Intensity is a species of loudness, but it has refer- 
ence to the manner in which the breath is used. 
The breath is forced upon the vocal cords in a sud- 
den, intense and forcible way, yet the loudness or 
force of the sound may be restrained. This power is 
strongly exemplified in whispering- to a person who 
is standing at a distance, there is a certain projecting 
or penetrating characteristic of the voice, which can 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 473 

only be expressed by the term intensity. It forms 
one of the most important elements in penetrating 
power. In repeating these examples restrain the 
sound, yet force the breath against the vocal cords in 
a sharp, intense manner, and endeavor to project the 
voice to as great a distance as possible. 

And the bride-maidens whispered. " 'Twere better, by far, 
To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar." 

O, father, I see a gleaming light, 

O say, what may it be ? 
But the father answered never a word — 

A frozen corpse was he. 

Joy, joy forever ! my task is done— 
The gates are passed and heaven is won ! 
Oh ! am I not happy ? I am, I am. 

Look on that scorched brow, on the crisped locks that fall upon 
his neck, or on the withered hand that still holds the helm and you 
will behold shining, even through the smoke and dust, his true, 
noble manhood. Every scar upon his face, every furrow made 
upon his brow by the cruel flames, he will carry with him to his 
grave; yea, even to his resurrectiou, and they shall proclaim 
triumph-tongued before God's throne his bravery, his loyalty, his 
faithfulness — " Faithful unto death." 

Reach or Penetrating power is difficult to explain. 
It seems to depend to a great extent on the other powers 
and qualities. The more perfect the \oice is as a 
whole, the greater will be its penetrating power. 
Eeach is the power the voice has of penetrating dis- 
tances, sounds and other obstacles, and seems to have 
much to do with pure tone, as the purer the tone is, 
the greater seems to be the penetrating power. To 
acquire reach, the voice should be practiced in all its 
powers and qualities, and also in a strong whisper. 
The student should endeavor to project his voice to 
the greatest distance without raising the pitch or in- 
creasing the quantity of sound. A good way is to 



474 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

speak to a friend at a distance so as to make him hear, 
but care must be used not to change the pitch or 
volume. In acquiring reach the tone should be 
struck in the proper way, that is, the vocal cords 
should come together just as the air strikes them. 
There should be no superflous breath, but all the 
breath should be used in sound, none allowed to 
escape. The tone should be produced forward in the 
mouth, and it should receive due resonance from the 
various resonating cavities of the mouth and throat. 
The tone should be produced softly but vigorously, 
especially in singing. The aim should be quality 
rather than force, and if these directions are followed 
in practice, penetrating power will soon be obtained. 

Ever as on they bore, more loud, 
And louder rang the pibroch proud, 
At first the sound, by distance tame, 
Mellowed, along the waters came; 
And lingering long by cape and bay, 
Wailed every harsher note away ; 
When bursting bolder on the ear, 
The clan's shrill gathering they could hear 
Those thrilling sounds that call the might 
Of old Clan-Alpine to the fight. 

The war that for a space did fail, 
Now trebly thundering swelled the gale, 

And Stanley was the cry. 
A!light on Marmion's visage spread 

And fired his glazing eye. 
With dying hand above his head 
He shook the fragments of his blade 

And shouted victory ! 
""Charge, Chester, charge'; on, Stanley, on" 
Were the last words of Marmion. 

Aspirate quality of voice is caused by the rush 
through the vocal organs of a stream of air too wide 
and powerful to be converted into sound. The vocal 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 475 

cords meet after the air has begun to pass through 
the glottis, and so the breath escapes unvocalized 
with some, which is converted into sound. It is 
exemplified in whispering and is the result of ex- 
treme emotion and passion. Aspiration may be ap- 
plied to syllables uttered in every variety of time and 
to all kinds of stress and intonation. It unites with 
the other functions of voice to give greater intensity 
to the utterance of the various emotions. It imparts 
an air of mystery to what is uttered, and in its whis- 
pered form expresses cunning, secrecy, apprehension 
of evil, and fearful suspense in the presence of dan- 
ger. The hoarse form of the aspirate expresses im- 
patience, scorn, eagerness, fear, hatred, loathing, as- 
tonishment and incomprehensibility. When the as- 
pirate is joined to semi-tonic utterance, it gives inten- 
sity to plaintiveness and distress, and when joined to 
tremor and plaintiveness, it marks the deepest shades 
of sadness and grief. It also expresses intense ardor 
and joy. There are three gradations of aspirate 
quality, according to the intensity of the emotion or 
passion. They are effusive, expulsive and explosive. 

EFFUSIVE ASPIEATE OR WHISPER. 
How beautiful this night ! the balmiest sigh, 
Which vernal zephyrs breathe in evening's ear, 
Were discord to the speaking quietude 
That wraps this moveless scene. 
Leave me ! — thy footstep with its lightest sound, 

The very shadow of thy waving hair, 
Makes in my soul a feeling too profound, 

Too strong for aught that lives and dies to bear ; 
Oh, bid the conflict cease ! 

EXPULSIVE ASPIRATE OR WHISPER. 
Soldiers ! You are now within a few steps of the enemy's out- 
post. Our scouts report them as slumbering in parties around 
their watch-fires, and utterly unprepared for our approach. One 



476 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

disorderly noise or motion may leave us at the mercy of their 
advance guard. Let every man keep the strictest silence under 
pain of instant death. 

All silent they went for the time was approaching, 

The moon, the blue zenith already was touching ; 

No foot was abroad on the forest or hill, 

No sound but the lullaby sung by the rill. 

EXPLOSIVE ASPIRATE OR WHISPER. 

Lady M. My hands are of your color ; but I shame 

To wear a heart so white, [knock'] — I hear a knocking 

At the south entrj r ; retire we to our chamber ; 

A little water clears us of this deed. 

How easy is it then! Your constancy 

Hath left you unattended,— [knocking']— Hark, more knocking. 

Hark ! I hear the bugles of the enemy ! They are on their 
march along the bank of the river. We must retreat instantly, or 
be cut off from our boats. I see the head of their column already 
rising over the height. Our only safety is in the screen of this 
hedge. Keep close to it ; be silent, and stoop as you run. For 
the boats ! Forward ! 

Guttural. — This is a deep undertone of a very 
harsh nature. It is a production of voice so modified 
by the drawing back of the tongue, and the contrac- 
tion of the throat above the larynx, that it becomes 
harsh, dry and impure. The voice is crushed or 
squeezed, as it were, between the root of the tongue 
and the sides of the pharynx ; this produces a suffoca- 
tion of voice, and causes the grating or rubbing which 
is characteristic of this quality. This quality is of 
two kinds, according as it is more or less aspirated ; 
first a soft, choking sound, and second a hard, dry 
and barking sound in which there is considerable as- 
piration. The guttural quality is really caused by 
the malign emotions. In its strong aspirated char- 
acter it gives a harsh, animal and sometimes fiend- 
like character to human utterance as in the malice 
and revenge of Shylock. It can be acquired by ut- 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 477 

taring the consonants t, d, j, k, g, e, in a harsh tone 
of voice, and by uttering in the same manner such 
words as revenge, rage, havoc, fury, rancor, accursed, 
inhuman, harsh, slave, hence, savage, etc. 

Be then his love accursed — since love or hate 

To me alike, it deals eternal woe. 

Nay, cursed be thou, since against his, thy will 

Chose freely what it now so justly rues. 

Me miserable ! Which way shall I fly 

Infinite wrath and infinite despair ? 

Which way I fly is Hell ; myself am Hell ; 

And in the lowest deep a lower deep 

Still threatening to devour me, opens wide, 

To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heaven ! 

How like a fawning publican he looks ! 

I hate him, for he is a Christian ; 

But more, for that, in low simplicity 

He lends out money gratis, and brings down 

The rate of usuance here with us in Venice. 

If I can catch him once upon the hip, 

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. 

He hates our sacred nation ; and he rails, 

Even there where merchants most do congregate, 

On me. my bargains, and my well-worn thrift 

Which he calls interest ; Curst be my tribe 

If I forgive him ! 

Pectoral voice has a hollow sound, and comes from 
the chest. The voice is smothered or muffled and 
seems to be buried in the chest, but the sound is really 
vocalized in the larynx and vibrates entirely in the 
chest. Human suffering causes vocal sound to be 
buried in deep reverberations in the chest cavity, and 
produces a sound like a groan ; this is what we call 
pectoral quality, which expresses gloom, despair, awe, 
profound reverence, deep solemnity, and in its aspi- 
rated form, anger, revenge, excessive fear, horror and 
other powerful emotions. 



•478 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

I am thy father's spirit, 
Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, 
And for the day confined to fast in fii es, 
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature 
Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid 
To tell the secrets of my prison-house, 
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word 
Would harrow up thy soul — freeze thy young blood ; 
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their sphere ; 
Thy knotted and combined locks to part, 
And each particular hair to stand on end 
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine ; 
But this eternal blazon must not be 
To ears of flesh and blood ; List, list O list ! 
If thou didst ever thy dear father love. 
Avaunt, and quit my sight ; Let the earth hide thee ; 
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold ; 
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes 
Which thou dost glare with ! 

Hence horrible shadow, 
Unreal mockery hence ! 

Falsetto is the shrill, screechy tone heard when 
the voice has been forced beyond its natural compass 
and breaks in producing the high notes. Some voices 
are mainly falsetto on account of some peculiar ar- 
rangement or malformation of the vocal organs. This 
quality predominates in the emphatic scream of terror 
or pain, and expresses extreme surprise, mockery, 
etc. It is used also in imitating the voice of a child, 
an old man or an old woman. 

He said he would not ransom Mortimer, 
Forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer, 
But I will find him when he lies asleep, 
And in his ear I'll holla — "Mortimer ; " 
Nay. I'll have a starling shall be taught to speak 
Nothing but "Mortimer," and give it him, 
To keep his anger still in motion. 

John, John, get up you lazy boy, 



ANALYSIS OF THE VOICE. 479 

Nasal quality is caused by an obstruction or closing 1 
of the nasal passages by an approximation of the 
arches of the palate. This quality is what is usually 
termed speaking through the nose. It may be used 
in imitating the voice of characters who possess that 
quality, but of itself it expresses no emotion. Joined 
with other qualities of voice however, it can be used 
to express some states of feeling as in the sneer of 
contempt or derision. The following* example from 
" Darius Green and his Flying-machine," by Trow- 
bridge should bo read with nasal tone. 

The birds can fly, an' why can't I ? 

Must we give in, says he, with a grin, 

To the bluebird an' Phebe as smarter'n we be ? 

Just fold our hands an' see the swaller 

An' blackbird an' catbird beat us holler. 

Doos the leetle chattering, sassy wren, 

No bigger'n my thumb, know more than men ? 

Jest show me that, 'er prove 't bat 

Hez got more brains than's in my hat, 

An' I'll back down, an' not till then. 

The aspirate, falsetto, nasal, guttural and pectoral 
are impure or bad qualities and no voice can be called 
a good voice which has any of these characteristics ; 
such bad qualities should be eradicated by careful 
and patient training. The speaker or reader should 
have the power to assume any of these impure qual- 
ities of voice, in order that he may be able to express 
an emotion or imitate a character but they ought not 
to be characteristic of his voice in its ordinary use. 



CHAPTEK XXIV. 



ARTICULATION. 

Articulation is the process of forming and joining 
together into syllables the elementary sounds of 
speech. These sounds are very numerous, and the 
number of single elements vary according as the anal- 
ysis is more or less minute. The English language 
has twenty-six letters which represent forty-five ele- 
mentary sounds. These are, first, tonics or those 
having the largest capacity for prolongation of sound; 
second, sub-tonics which have a lower degree of vo- 
cality than the tonics ; and third, atonies ; these have 
no degree of vocality. The sub-tonics and atonies are 
divided into hard, soft and feeble checks, according 
as the sound or breath is checked by the organs of 
articulation in uttering them. 

TABLE OF THE ELEMENTS. 

TONIC ELEMENTS. 

1. a as in arm. 8. e as in pet. 15. u as in use. 

2. a as in all. 9. e as in eve. 16. u as in rule. 

3. a as in ask. 10. i as in pine. 17. u as in full. 

4. a as in hat. 11. i as in pin. 18. u as in hut. 

5. a as in care. 12. o as in old. 19. oi as in oil. 

6. a as in fate. 13. o as in nor. 20. ou as in our. 

7. e as in err. 14. o as in not. 

(480) 





AKTICULATION. 






SUB-TONIC ELEMENTS. 


Soft Checks. 


Haed Checks. 


Fekble Checks. 


1. z as in azure. 


1. b as in bay. 


1. 1 as in lay. 


2. z as in zone 


2. d as in day. 


2. r as in ray. 


3. j as in joy. 


3. g as in gay. 


3. w as in way. 


4. th as in then. 


4. m as in may. 


4. wh as in when. 


5. v as in vile. 


5. n as as in nay. 

6. ng as in sing. 

7. nk as in blink. 


5. y as in yet. 




ATONIC ELEMENTS. 


Soft Checks. 


Haed Checks. 


Feeble Checks. 


1. f as in fee. 


1. k as in key. 


1. h as in hay. 


2. th as in thin. 


2. p as in pay. 




3. s as in see. 


3. t as in tell. 




4. sh as in shun. 







481 



This analysis is not perfect in all respects, but it 
exhibits those differences which are generally re- 
ceived by the best authorities on the subject. Exer- 
cise in the enunciation of these sounds of the ele- 
ments is of great importance in acquiring perfect ar- 
ticulation. In enunciating particular attention should 
be given to the position and action of the organs in 
forming each sound. 

Articulation is one of the most important parts of 
vocal training. It is effected by the action of the lips, 
tongue, jaws and palate. A reader or speaker having 
only a moderate voice, if his articulation is correct, 
wili be understood better, and listened to with greater 
pleasure than one having great voice power, but bad 
articulation. The voice of the latter may extend to a 
greater distance, but the sound is dissipated in con- 
fusion ; because tne articulation being poor, the 
syllables and words are jumbled up together, so that 
it is almost impossible to ascertain the meaning. 
Where the articulation is good, not the smallest vi- 



482 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

bration of the voice is wasted, and the speaker finds 
it much easier to make himself understood. Every 
sound of the voice is perceived at the utmost distance 
to which it reaches, and the listener has not that feel- 
ing- of weariness which comes from too close an atten- 
tion to a speaker who articulates badly. In a perfect 
articulation there must be a prompt, neat and easy 
action of the organs of voice, the words are not 
hurried over as if in haste to have them uttered, nor 
are they drawled out slowly through indolence, or 
thrown out one syllable over the other ; they are not 
joined together in a mass of confusion, nor uttered 
separately with an interval between each syllable ; 
they are neither too short nor too long, nor swal- 
lowed, nor forced, nor shot out from the mouth ; they 
are not trailed nor lisped, nor allowed to slip out in a 
careless, unfinished manner, but they come from the 
lips in a perfect state, each organ having its due 
weight in their enunciation, none having undue prom- 
inence. The syllables are neatly struck by the proper 
organs, clear cut, perfectly finished, in proper order, 
and of due weight. Good articulation preserves the 
speaker from exhaustion, as he has to make but little 
effort in speaking, and there is less expense of vital 
energy. Good articulation is also an element in the 
expression of the emotions. It is true that passions 
may be expressed by inarticulate noises, but the de- 
licate and finer shades of emotion require good artic- 
ulation, and in general the articulation will partake 
of the nature of the emotion being smooth, gentle, 
liquid, hard, harsh and consonantal, according as the 
emotion is of that nature. 

Defective articulation is common, not only among 
speakers, but also among singers ; indeed it seems to 
be more common to singers than speakers. This 



AETICULATION. 483 

arises from the desire to get tone rather than articula- 
tion. We have heard singers who really did not ren- 
der song articulate, but merely uttered musical sounds 
to the tune of the song printed on their paper. They 
even change the words of the song when the articula- 
tion seems to hinder the flow of sound. Examples of 
such alterations may be found in words and even in 
whole lines as " Hur forguvarth all thor sorns," for 
" Who forgiveth all thy sins." All such negligent 
articulations are improper and ought never to be 
sanctioned by singers, or tolerated by an audience. 
Bad articulation usually springs from careless or 
slovenly habits. The speaker or reader is unconscious 
of his faults, and slurs over or mumbles most of the 
syllables or words in a sentence. It is sometimes due 
to the sluggish action of the mind and body. This 
imparts a characteristic to the action of the vocal 
organs, which produces only a succession of indolent 
half-formed sounds, more like the mumblings of a 
dream than the utterance of a wakeful and energetic 
being. The organs of articulation are under the con- 
trol of the will ; when the thought is clear and precise 
the articulation will be clear and distinct. In impres- 
sive reading and speaking there is no time to think 
how each sound is to be uttered, hence the vocal 
organs should be flexible and competent by practice 
and use to enunciate without difficulty the various 
sounds of the language. Faulty articulation often 
springs from want of control of the articulating organs 
and the degree of control varies in different indivi- 
duals. Where there is lack of control the remedy is, 
practice on the elementary sounds, syllables and 
words. When difficulty arises in uttering certain 
letters, these letters should be practiced both sepa- 
rately and in combination. — 



484 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Poor articulation sometimes springs from nervous 
timidity, the speaker through his flurry and agitation, 
makes undue haste and the words are thrown out in 
mouthfuls of vowels and consonants jumbled together. 
Articulation is marred at times by too much care. 
The speaker is too particular about uttering every 
sound and syllable, hence we have a labored, pedantic 
utterance. Silent letters are sounded, as the t, and 
e, in such words as soften, often, apostle and epistle. 
In such an articulation, but little distinction is made 
between syllables and words, the unaccented syllables 
are as important as the accented, and propositions, 
conjunctions and articles are made as prominent as 
the other parts of speech. It is amusing to hear how 
important the preposition " to," article " a," and the 
conjunction '* and/' become in such speaking. The 
conjunction "and," as it usually begins a new clause 
and follows a new supply of breath, is rolled out with 
so much more force than the rest of the sentence, that 
it would seem everything else depended upon it. 

Imperfect articulation is due sometimes to defective 
organs, as loss of teeth ; the enunciation has a hiss- 
ing sound, and there is an inability to utter some let- 
ters, which require the teeth ; or faults in the structure 
of the mouth, when the tongue is too long or too wide, 
or sluggish in its motions, when the palate is too 
high or too low or the teeth badly set. Sometimes 
the ear is defective, and the person can not distinguish 
between the different sounds of the vowels, as for in- 
stance, he cannot see any difference between a in far, 
and a in ask, between t and d, b, and p, w, and wh, f 
and v, th, in thin and th, in though. The remedy 
for this is a proper cultivation of the ear, so as to dis- 
tinguish between the different sounds. Another fault 
consists in slurring over the vowel sounds, or half 



ARTICULATION. 485 

enunciating them. We hear it often said : " Take 
care of the consonants, and the vowels will take of 
themselves." But this is not always true, and in 
many cases has been the cause of poor articulation. 
Some speakers seem to have no idea of vowels, they 
simply use them as a means of enunciating the 
consonants,hence their speaking is made up princi- 
pally of consonantal sounds ; it lacks music and har- 
mony, is characterized by abruptness, and a peculiar 
emphatic sharpness, which is disagreeable to the ear. 
The vowels must not be neglected, for on them de- 
pends harmony of speech, they are of great import- 
ance since they are expressive of sounds ; the con- 
sonants simply being means of stopping the breath, 
and dividing the sounds so as to form syllables. 
Both should have due attention, if the consonants are 
neglected we have simply musical sounds, if the 
vowels are neglected we have an unmusical sound 
without any meaning. A good, round, full sound of 
all the vowels is the characteristic of the delivery 
of all good speakers ; it is the round full utterance 
of the vowel sounds, which makes the distinction 
between Italians and other nationalities. Every 
syllable has an initial or radical, and a closing or 
vanishing sound. The latter rises through a whole 
tone of the musical scale above the former. In the 
word ale the radical is the sound with which the 
name of the letter a commences, and the vanishing 
sound is the delicate closing sound, bordering on e 
in eve, with which the word ends. It is the obser- 
vance of this radical and vanishing sound that con- 
stitutes the refined finish which we hear in the arti- 
culation of some speakers. A good articulation de- 
mands, that the speaker should be careful about these 
radical and vanishing sounds. Good articulation 



486 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

may be treated under five heads : distinctness, cor- 
rectness, purity, ease, and elegance. 

Distinctness is a precise and accurate formation of 
the elementary sounds. Correctness is the formation 
of the sounds in their combinations so that they are 
still accurate and precise. 

Purity is the utterance of the vocal elements with 
pure tone, free from all noises caused by un-vocalized 
breath, or the use of too much breath for the sound. 

Ease is a natural and easy working of the articu- 
lating organs so that there shall be no undue effort. 

Elegance is a combination of all the qualities so 
that the sounds flow out in perfect harmony in a 
smooth and liquid manner. To acquire a good ar- 
ticulation the table of elements should be practiced 
with particular attention to enunciating the sounds 
both separate and in combination. A good way is 
to read any printed matter backwards as it arrests 
the attention, and causes the utterance of every 
sound in the words. A good pronouncing English 
dictionary will help those who have no teacher in 
getting the exact sounds. Practice on difficult sounds 
should also be made, and on those where the same 
or similar sounds come in succession, as : 

" Five wives weave withes." " Such pranks Frank's 
prawns play in the tank." " Pick up the pipe." 
" Cook up the cook." " A school coal-scuttle." "Six 
thick thistle-sticks." "Snuff shop snuff : do you snuff 
shop snuff." " A laurel crowned clown." " Literally 
literary." " Laid in the cold ground " (not coal 
ground.) "Oh the torment of an ever-meddling 
memory " (not a never meddling.) 

If, it, ip, ik, it, ip, ik, ip, it, ik, it, ip, ik, ip, ik, it. 

If, ith, iv, ith, if, iv, ith, iv, if, iv, ith, if, ith, iv. 

Iss, iz, ish, iss, iz, ish, is, iz, ish, is, iss, iz. 



AETICTJLATION. 487 

In, im, ing, im, in, ing, in, ing, im, ing. in, im. 

H, ib, iv, if, il, iv, il, iv, if, iv, if, il, id, is, id, if, il. 

We, ve, re, le, ne, pip, tit, kik, kit, pik, tip, kip. 

Ith, sis, shish, sish, sith, shis, shith, tish. 

When bad articulation springs from lack" of control 
of the vocal organs, it is well to practice the use of 
these organs separately. This may be done by cer • 
tain exercises which bring into use each of the various 
organs. Since the larynx moves up and down in 
singing and speaking, as the tone is high or low, it is 
well to h&ve control of the muscles which move it. 
To obtain this control move the tongue in various 
ways, for every movement of the tongue changes the 
position of the larynx. By opening the mouth widely 
the larynx goes downward, and on closing the mouth 
it goes upward. In inspiration it falls down, and the 
deeper the inspiration, the lower the descent. In 
sucking and yawning it assumes its lowest position. 
In expiration it goes up. In singing up or down the 
scale, it goes up or down, as the note is higher or 
lower. It assumes its highest position in the act of 
swallowing. It also occupies different positions in 
whispering the vowel sounds oo, oh, ah, oi, ee. It is 
lowest for oo, and highest for ee. By practice of the 
above a command over the larynx can be obtained. 
To obtain control of the other organs stand before a 
mirror and practice the following exercises : 

FOR MOUTH, LIPS AND JAW. 

1. Open the mouth as widely as possible so as to 
examine the various parts inside the mouth. Then 
shut the mouth again. Do this several times. 

2. Open the mouth and put two fingers between the 
teeth, smile so as to draw the corners of the mouth 



488 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

sideways, then change the shape of the mouth by 
protruding the lips as in whistling. 

3. Close the lips firmly, then smile drawing the 
corners of the mouth as much sideways as possible, 
then protrude the lips as in whistling, but still keep- 
ing them firmly closed. 

FOR THE TONGUE. 

1. Stand before the glass as before, with the mouth 
wide open. Put the tongue out straight as far as you 
can, then draw it quickly back, and let it lie flat and 
low, but touching the lower teeth all round. 

2. Put the tip of the tongue against the lower front 
teeth, and push it out as far as possible, this will roll 
it up, then draw it back as in Exercise 1. 

3. Keep the root of the tongue as flat as possible, 
raise the tip and push it slowly, but perpendicularly 
towards the roof of the mouth, then lower gradually 
to its original positions. 

4. Raise the tip of the tongue in the same way as 
in exercise 3, and move it gradually from one side to 
the other, so that the point describes a semi-circle. 

The Soft Palate is the soft, movable partition we 
see at the back of the mouth. The veil of the palate 
makes a sort of curtain at the back of the mouth and 
forms a partition between the mouth and nasal pas- 
sages. When it is raised it closes the opening from 
the mouth to the nostrils, and the vocal currents pass 
entirely through the mouth, when it falls upon the 
tongue the passage to the mouth is closed, and the 
vocal current passing through the nostrils produces 
a nasal tone. 

In exercising the soft palate : 

1. Make a gaping effort and this will raise the soft 
palate. 



ARTICULARION. 489 

2. Breathe through the mouth, this will raise the 
soft palate ; the uvula will be in its normal shape and 
position. 

3. Breathe through the nostrils with the mouth open, 
and the soft palate will fall, the tongue rise and 
shut the mouth at the back from the nostrils. Give 
out the breath in the same way, and the mouth will 
remain shut at the back. 

4. Draw in the breath through the nostrils with the 
mouth wide open, but keep the tongue still and flat. 
This will make the soft palate come down smartly. 
Give out the breath through the mouth and the palate 
will rise again. 

These exercises are to be repeated several times, 
but not to such an extent as to produce fatigue. They 
will be found useful in the cure of defects of speech, 
such as lisping, stuttering and stammering. As these 
defects are more or less connected with imperfect ar- 
ticulation, we will say a few words in reference to 
them. There are various causes for these impedi- 
ments, some being constitutional defects in the organs 
themselves, such as hare-lip, cleft-palate, abnormal 
length and thickness of the uvula, enlargement of the 
tonsils, abnormal size of the tongue, and defective 
formation of the lips and teeth. For the eradication 
of these defects the best source is the skilful surgeon 
or dentist. When the defects of speech are due to 
an improper use of the organs of speech, or an in- 
ability to make proper use of these organs, the 
remedy is, due care and attention to the rules and di- 
rections for a correct use of the vocal organs, and the 
methods of eradicating defects. 

A syllable or word may commence with a vowel 
followed by a consonant, or a consonant followed by 
a vowel. When the syllable begins with a vowel the 



490 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

oral cavity is more widely open than when it com- 
mences with a consonant. When a syllable is uttered 
which begins with a vowel, it is only necessary to 
close the cavity of the mouth sufficiently to produce 
the consonant. This is easily done, but some stut- 
terers are unable to do this with ease, especially vowel 
stutterers, who find it difficult to adjust the vocal or- 
gans so as to produce certain vowel sounds. When 
the syllable commences with a consonant, the cavity 
of the mouth is closed more or less, according to the 
consonant, and it is necessary to open it in order to 
join the consonant to the vowel. This is much harder 
to do, as an adjusting of the cavity of the mouth is 
not only necessary, but also an opening of the glottis, 
and sound must be produced in the larynx. Stutterers 
find this very difficult to accomplish. Some are able 
to join certain consonants to particular vowels and 
not to others, while others are unable to join some 
consonants to any vowels whatever. As we have al- 
ready said, some vowels require a greater opening of 
the mouth than others ; this is also true of the con- 
sonants ; in joining consonants to vowels, and vowels 
to consonants, it is easier to join those vowels and 
consonants together which require a position of the 
vocal and articulating organs more nearly alike. It 
will be harder to join the closest consonant to the 
openest vow T el than to the closest vowel ; it is still easier 
to join the consonant, which requires the most open 
position of the mouth to the closest vowel. These 
facts should be borne in mind by the teacher when 
striving to eradicate faults of speech from his pupils. 
Lisping is usually due to enlargement of the tongue, 
or an improper use of it. In lisping the tongue cleaves 
to the roof of the mouth, or is pushed against the up- 
per front teeth, and to cure it, the exercises for con- 



ARTICULATION. 491 

trolling the movements of the tongue should be prac- 
ticed. 

Stammering is connected with vowel sounds, or 
combinations of vowel sounds. It is a difficulty or 
inability to properly enunciate some of the elemen- 
tary speech sounds, and may be accompanied by 
slow, hesitating- or indistinct delivery, but it is not at- 
tended with frequent repetitions of the initial sounds, 
and convulsive efforts to overcome the difficulty. 
The stammerer can vocalize the sound in his larnyx, 
but he is unable to regulate his tongue, palate or lips 
so as to form that sound into a distinct vowel, and 
therefore the hearer can not distinguish what the 
sound is. It is a defect in the delivery of individ- 
ual letters, and can be detected by separate repetition 
of the letters of the alphabet. 

Stuttering is a difficulty or inability to utter cer- 
tain sounds which is manifested by frequent repeti- 
tions of the initial or other elementary sounds, and 
is always more or less attended with muscular con- 
tortions. It is generally associated with the enuncia- 
tion of consonants, especially the explosives and sibi- 
lants, but is sometimes connected with vowels. The 
letters of the alphabet can generally be enunciated 
separately, but stuttering is detected when the letters 
are joined into syllables or words. The stammerer 
can vocalize the sound in the larynx, but cannot con- 
trol the articulating organs, so as to give that sound 
its character. The stutterer is able to control the ar- 
ticulating organs, so as to produce the initial or other 
sound, but can not control the larynx so as to join 
the succeeding to the initial sound ; hence his repe- 
tition of the first sound, in order to join the second 
to it. The first is generally a consonant and the 
second a vowel, and the difficulty is to join the two 



492 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

together, so as to show whether the word begins with 
ba, bai, bee or boo. To eradicate these defects is 
necessary : 1. Acquire a habit of calm, self-possess- 
ion, free the mind from all fear and trepidation, and 
avoid all cause of excitement. 2. Place the upper 
surface of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, 
with the point of the tongue immediately behind the 
upper front teeth. This is the proper position for 
the tongue on all occasions when it is not in ac- 
tive use, and the one from which it can be most read- 
ily moved for the purpose of uttering those sounds 
over which the tongue* has control. Some persons 
keep the tongue at the bottom of the mouth with the 
tip against the lower front teeth, in which position it 
is utterly impossible to enunciate the Unguals, until 
the tongue without their knowing how, goes to the 
roof of the mouth and they are able to utter the sound. 
3. With the tongue against the roof of the mouth 
as above ; draw in a full, deep breath through the 
nostrils. Sound cannot properly be produced unless 
there is an ample quantity of breath. After the 
breath has been calmly received in this way, emit it 
slowly in the sound which you wish to enunciate, 
but strike the sound at the beginning of the expira- 
tion, not at the end. One cause of impediment is the 
uttering of the sound at the end of the expiration 
when there is not sufficient air to produce the sound. 
This causes a lack of harmony between the expiration 
and the bringing together of the vocal cords. As the 
expiration or giving out of the breath begins, the 
vocal cords should be brought together in order to 
produce the sound. Be careful before beginning to 
speak to inflate the lungs in the proper way, and 
at every pause in the discourse ; improper respira- 
tion is often the cause of these impediments. In 



ARTICULATION. 493 

giving out the breath care should be taken to control 
thoroughly its outward passage. The breath should 
be economized, none of it should be allowed to es- 
cape unvocalized, and it should come easy, steady, 
and gradually, not in jerks or gasps. 

4. The pupil should be careful to understand 
thoroughly the precise formation and clear sound of 
every letter in the alphabet, and care should be taken 
that the lips, teeth and tongue perform strictly their 
exact function in the enunciation of these letters. 
Compare and form accurate notions of the corres- 
ponding sound, which exists between the termina- 
tion of each syllable or word, and the sound of the 
letter which ends it, as m in the word them, e in thee, 
n in then, g in go, etc. 

5. Be careful to avoid the bad habit, which is so 
common among stammerers and stutterers, of keep- 
ing the lips apart and the mouth open. This is a 
cause of speech impediment, and is very injurious to 
clear articulation, besides giving a vacant, silly look 
to the face. The conquering of this habit is one of 
the first steps in the cure of impediments of speech. 
Keep the mouth closed and let respiration be carried 
on through the nostrils. 

6. The person who has any impediment in his 
speech should be careful to avoid all hasty, careless 
slurring of words. He should give every syllable its 
proper quantity by dwelling on the vowel if it is long. 
He should be slow and deliberate in his reading and 
speaking. The pupil may read words with his 
teacher, the teacher reading the same words at the 
same time. He may also use rhythmical movements 
of the hands or feet at the same time he is reading 
or speaking, so as to help and regulate the actions of 



494 ELOCUTION AXD ORATOR 

o-ordination with the hands or 
Light gymnastic exercise, such as the use of dumb- 
bells -11 be found of great value in eradicating 



CHAPTEK XXV. 



ACCENT AND PEONUNCIATION. 

Accent is the stress laid upon distinct syllables to 
render them distinct or prominent. It is made by 
increasing- the time of uttering the syllables, by a 
greater degree of stress laid on it, and by raising the 
pitch of the accented syllable. The accented syllable 
is determined by custom, except in a few cases where 
the meaning of the words determine the accent. 

Accents are primary, secondary and tertiary, accord- 
ing to the degree of increase in time, stress or pitch- 
Primary is the principal accent in a word, and has the 
greatest degree of time, stress or pitch. Secondary is 
next in importance, and tertiary is the least in value. 
Words of two syllables have only primary ; secondary 
accent occurs in words of three or more syllables. 
The tertiary appears in words of five or more syllables. 
Accent adds unity and variety to the sound of words, 
it expresses their different meaning which otherwise 
would have the same sound. Accent is also an ele- 
ment in rhythm, as the distribution of the accented 
and unaccented syllables forms^a recurrence and va- 
riety which is pleasing to the ear as : 
(495) 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 
EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE. 



Antecedent. Decease. Incense. 

Antelope. Decimal. Incipient. 

Anthracite. Defalcation. Incorrigible. 

Anticipate. Deference. Inseparable. 

Antipathy. Deficit. Irreparable. 

Antipodes. Deteriorate. Irrevocable. 

Antiquarian. Ducat. Jocose. 

Apology. Egregious. Joggle. 

Apostrophe. Eligible. Longevity. 

Committee. Emanate. Luxuriant. 

Commonwealth. Facetious. Loquacity. 

Compatible. Flippant. Lugubrious. 

Competent. Funeral. Recondite. 

Complacency. Gigantic. Refluent. 

Concise. Gondolier. Rescission. 

Contrite. Habituate. Referable. 

Conflagration. Heinous. Saponaceous. 

Conjugate. Hymeneal Seneschal. 

Consignee. Illegible. Theocracy. 

Cucumber. Illuminant. Tintinnabulation. 

Crevice. Impulse. Psychical. 

Decalogue. Incense (n.) Pharmaceutic. 

Accent has an important effect on articulation, as it 
regulates the force of the syllables in a word. The 
accented syllable is usually given with more precise 
articulation and more exactness in regard to the qual- 
ity of sound than the unaccented, hence it is impor- 
tant to pay close attention to the unaccented syllables, 
so that the true quality of sound may be given to 
them. Some give the sound of a in abstract correct- 
ly as the accent is on it ; but take a similar word, as 
abscond, where the accent is on the second syllable, 
and the ab becomes ub, thus ubscond ; uccord for ac- 
cord is another example. This applies to the initials 
ad, ag, al, am, an, as, ap, at, ob, op, etc., from the same 
cause ; such words as opinion, proceed and emit are 



ACCENT AND PRONUNCIATION. 497 

pronounced upinion, pruceed and imit. The sound, is 
properly given when the accent is on the letter, but 
when it is shifted to the next syllable the sound is 
obscured. This is an error in articulation, but it 
seems to be due in the main to the position of the 
accent. Accent is a matter of education and will 
appear perfect, or defective among the people of 
different nations speaking* the same tongue accord- 
ing as they are more or less educated, hence it is 
wrong to say we tell a foreigner by his accent. We 
often hear it said, that we know a man to be English, 
Irish or Scotch from his accent. This is not correct ; 
it is not by his accent that we know him, but by the 
peculiar sound he gives to the vowels and the words 
he uses, thus a Scotchman says fayther for father giv- 
ing a the sound of a in fate, jist for just, wahter for 
water, giving a the sound of a in ark instead of a in 
all. There is something also in the sound of the voice 
by which we tell nationality, the educated English- 
man or Scotchman usually having a rounder and fuller 
voice than the American. 

Pronunciation is the oral speaking of words ac- 
cording to good usage or custom. It consists in 
giving the proper sounds of vowels and consonants, 
and the distribution of accent on the proper syllables. 
Correct pronunciation is free from the errors of un- 
educated or negligent custom, and the caprices of 
pedantry. It agrees with the current of cultivated 
minds and does not pander to peculiarities or mere 
authority of individuals. Good taste in pronuncia- 
tion allows freedom of choice in the mode of pro- 
nouncing words liable to variation in sound or ac- 
cent, but it requires compliance with every fixed 
point of sanctioned usage. When a word is rightly 
articulated it is properly pronounced. Pronuncia- 



498 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tion is the enunciation and proper combination 
of the sounds of our language, the symboliza- 
tion, or means of representing these sounds should 
conform to the pronunciation, not the pronun- 
ciation to the syinbolization, hence we cannot always 
depend upon the symbolization for the pronunciation. 
This is especially so in English which has no sym- 
bolization of its own, but adopted that of another 
language. Pronunciation has kept changing / but 
symbolization has not changed in the same degree, 
and we are now very far from representing by sym- 
bols the true pronunciation. If we will examine our 
language we will find that some sounds are repre- 
sented in many different ways, thus the sound of i 
as in pin is represented by fifteen different signs, 
and other sounds are just as badly represented. In 
order to correct this imperfect symbolization the 
phonetic system of spelling is advocated by many 
prominent scholars in our day. Our language is in a 
a more chaotic state than other languages in its sys- 
tem of representation of sounds, hence its pronuncia- 
tion is very difficult. A good pronunciation is an 
element of power in delivery, it makes the words of a 
speaker acceptable to his hearers, because they ap- 
pear bright and clear cut, easily understood, and do 
not antagonize the listener by some slovenly habit or 
defect. Bad pronunciation repels the hearer because 
the words appear defaced and blurred. 

In good pronunciation words are thus pronounced 
as a unit, but their unity is due to several causes ; 
in words of one syllable it is due to a single impulse 
of the voice. "Words of more than one syllable have one 
primary accent, and the other accents being secondary, 
there is still unity. The sounds composing such words 
are cemented together, by what are called transition 



ACCENT AND PRONUNCIATION. 499 

sounds, that is, sounds made by the voice in passing 
from one element of the word to another. This 
sound is caused by the breath, which does not stop 
while the organs of voice are passing from the for- 
mation of one sound in a word to that of another, 
but still flowing on, joins together the other sounds 
making the word a unit ; the word is also unified by 
a pause before and after it. Transition sounds do 
not appear between words, but between the elements 
that make up the same word. 

Errors in pronunciation are very common, hardly 
any speaker is free from one or more mistakes in this 
respect. Some errors are peculiar to certain parts of 
the country; thus in New England the final ing is often 
pronounced in, and long u in many words is pro- 
nounced like oo, as dooty for duty, institoot for insti- 
tute, noose for news, endoo for endue, endoor for en- 
dure and many other words of a like nature. The 
most appropriate name that can be applied to such a 
pronunciation of this letter is baby talk. Some years 
ago this method of pronunciation was taught in our 
public schools, but it is entirely without authority. 
In pronouncing such words as dark, heart, large, etc. 
it is common in some parts of the country to pro- 
nounce the a as a in all, thus : dawk for dark, hawrtfor 
heart, lawrge for large. Another common error is to 
pronounce law as lawr. This putting on of an extra r to 
the end of some words is also peculiar to certain lo- 
calities, and the persons who commit this mistake do 
not usually perceive it. In order to correct mistakes 
in pronunciation the student should read words in the 
dictionary, marking those he has been in the habit of 
mispronouncing and make it a part of his daily exer- 
cise to go frequently over these words till he has 
thoroughly mastered them. To acquire a correct pro- 



500 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

nunciation it is essential to understand the sounds oi 
the language and the proper mode of their formation. 
These sounds are represented by various characters. 

1. A as in arm, is represented by a, an, e, a. — In 
forming this sound the mouth is open, the organs in 
their natural position and farther apart than in any- 
other sound, and consequently it is capable of more 
vocality than the others. The sound strikes against 
the anterior part of the hard palate or roof of the 
mouth resonating equally through the head and chest. 
The tongue lies on a level in the forward part of the 
mouth, while it is arched slightly at the back, and the 
lips sit well apart. 

Are, avaunt, calm, calf, aunt, gaunt, flaunt, sergeant, 
hearken, rather, almond, haunt, jaundice. 

2. A as in all, represented by a, an, aw, oa, ou. — 
This is formed by rounding the opening and cavity 
of the mouth a little from the position of the last, and 
throwing the resonance farther back. In its produc- 
tion there is the greatest depression of the base of the 
tongue, which is slightly grooved ; the jaw is in its 
lowest position, and the sound has greater depth and 
breadth than any of the tones reverberating in the 
throat and chest. 

Alder, fall, ball, alter, ought, avaunt, sauce, awl, 
bawl, awe, broad, groat, wrought, saucer, sought. 

3. A as in ask, represented by a, au.—hi forming this 
sound the mouth cavity is flattened a little from the 
position in a, as in arm, and the corners of the mouth 
are drawn a little farther from each other. This sound 
is intermediate between a in arm and a in hat. Mis- 
pronunciations of this element are the use of a in arm 
and a in care in its stead. 

Aft, after, aghast, answer, ant, bask, cast, clash, 
craft, draft, draught, blanch, grass, pant, pass. 



ACCENT AND PKONUNCIATION. 501 

4 A as in hat, represented by a, ai. — This is formed 
by a position of the mouth organs, which differs from 
the position of a in ask as that differs from a in arm. 
The mouth is open and the middle of the tongue is 
depressed backwards ; this is often confounded with 
a in ask and a in care. 

Apple, actual, adapt, agile, apparel, bade, band, 
can, bank, plaintain, lamb, fan, land, man, land, plaid. 
5. A, as in care represented by a, ai, ay, e, ea, ey. — 
In forming this sound the mouth is still further flat- 
tened, and the corners drawn a little more apart. 
It differs but slightly from a in hat. The vocal 
passage is modified by the root of the tongue, and the 
parts immediately above the larynx. There is a 
slight elevation of the fore-part of the tongue which 
directs the voice against the palate a little further 
forward than the a in hat. It is connected with the 
sub-tonic r, which no doubt has much to do with its 
distinctive character. 

Air, bare, bear, chair, fair, hair, pear, e'er, there 
where, lair, prayer, rare, ne'er, tear, wear, glare. 

6. A as in ale, represented by a, aa, ae, ai, ao, ay, e, 
ea, ei, ey. — This is the flattest of all the tonics in a 
and is formed by still further flattening the mouth 
and drawing the corners further apart. The tongue 
is still further depressed. It is really a diphthong 
which terminates with the sound of i in pin, and 
hence has a strong vocality. 

Able, aerie, date, dairy, eyre, feign, gauge, yea, 
gaol, pray, quail, they, nay, may, waive, pain, male. 

7. E as in eel, represented by e, ee, ea, eo, ey, ae, i, is 
oe, way. — This is the closest of the lingual vowels. 
In its formation the tongue, as it rises convexly with 
the arch of the palate is arched, the point directed 
horizontally to guide the sound out of the mouth 



502 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

without striking the teeth, and the tongue itself 
presses laterally against the palate and back teeth. 
The teeth are about one-fourth of an inch apart, the 
lips slightly apart, but nearly parallel, and there is 
only a narrow opening between the middle of the 
tongue and palate through which the voice issues. 
Faults in enunciating this sound are the depressing 
of the tip of the tongue behind the lower front teeth, 
and confounding it with i in pin. 

Eve, me, feet, freeman, beard, pea, ear, key, leg, 
iEgean, Caesar, pique, profile, grieve, either, people. 

8. E as in err, represented by e, ea, i, y. — The oral 
channel in forming this sound is enlarged by the de- 
pression of the fore-part of the tongue from its posi- 
tion in a, as in ale. The tongue is raised a little from 
its position in a, as in arm, the mouth cavity is con- 
tracted slightly from that of a in arm and the vocal 
resonance is thrown a little higher up. The position 
is really midway between a in arm and e in eve. The 
sound is similar to u in but, and is often confounded 
with it. It is generally followed by r, which gives it 
a peculiar character. It is the sound uttered by 
sheep in bleating. 

Alert, berth, term, erst, earl, earnest, earth, birth, 
birch, dirge, myrrh, myrtle, fern. 

9. E in pet, represented by e, ea, ei t eo y ey, a , ai, ie, oe, u, 
— In producing this sound, the vocal passage is mod- 
ified by the root of the tongue and the parts imme- 
diately above the larynx. There is a slight elevation 
of the fore-part of the tongue from its position in u 
as in up, which directs the voice against the palate, 
further'forward than in u as in up. It is formed by 
flattening the mouth cavity a little from the position 
in e as in err, and raising the tongue a little more 
toward the roof of the mouth. 



ACCENT ^T> PRONUNCIATION. 503 

Bed, berry, bread, heifer, leopard, again, ate, (did 
eat), friend, parliament, fetid, bury, poem, realm. 
said. 

10. las in pin*, represented Vy i, ai. ei, ey, eye, it. y . 
— This is properly a dipthong conrpoundecl from the 
Italian a as arm, and ee as in eel, the position of the 
organs are therefore a combination of the position of 
these two, or a slide from the one into the other. 
The sound commences with the organs in a very open 
state, the roof of the mouth being raised higher than 
in the most open of the tonics in a, and the corners 
of the mouth drawn further apart. From this posi- 
tion the tongue and the roof of the mouth approach 
each other, till it closes with the sound and position 
of i in pin. 

Time, mind, Bible, aisle, height, eyes, eye. flies, 
die, dyer, edify, gyration, guy, buy, vie, hydrometer. 

11. I as in icin. represented oy i, ai. ei 3 oi. >/>'. e, ee : 

ia, ie, a, ay, o. <c. y. — This is one of the feeblest of the 
tonic sounds, as it is formed with the organs near to- 
gether. The position is intermediate between a as in 
ale, and ee as in eel half way to that of a in ale. It is 
therefore similar in position to the close of the sound 
of i as in pine and might be said to be a section cut 
off from the end of that tonic. 

Bid, pit, bargain, foreign, forfeit, galley, rallied, 
rally, tyranny, busy, rapine, mirror, agile. 

12. O as in not. represented by o, ou, o>c ; a. au. — This 
sound is formed by rounding the cavity of the mouth 
and the aperture of the lips a little from their posi- 
tion in a, as in arm. 

Bond, allot, cough, trod, was, gone, shone, moth, 
froth, cloth, cauliflower, closet, dross, floss, float. 

13. O as in nor, represented by o, eo. — This is formed 
by rounding the aperture of the lips still more, and 



504 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

by enlarging the back cavity of the mouth, so as to 
throw the vocal resonance further down. This sound 
is often confounded with a, as in all, from which it 
differs but slightly. 

Born, corn, adorn, George, morn, form, morning, 
effort, forfeit, horse, snort, morsel, north, ordain. 

14. O, as in old, represented by o, oo, oa, ow, ao, eo, 
au, eau, ew. — This sound is really a dipthong, pro- 
duced by a slide from a as in arm to u as in rule. 
It is formed by rounding the mouth cavity, and lips 
into a circle. The tongue should be well depressed, 
and the lips should not have a pursed projection, as 
this is one of the faults in enunciating the sound. 

Alone, adore, no, toe, beau, doe, lo, roe, tow, hoar, 
door, dough, floor, four, mellow, pour, sew, soul. 

15. Has in hut, represented by u, ou, o, oe, eo. — This 
is formed by relaxing the circular position of the lips 
a little from that occupied in o as in old, and by per- 
mitting them to recede a little further from each 
other. In its enunciation the mouth is well open and 
the lips retracted, so as to uncover the edges of the 
teeth. This sound can easily be obtained by endeav- 
oring to form long o, without using the lips. It is 
sometimes confounded with o as in not. 

Bulge, burden, burn, rough, couple, double, dove, 
come, done, ducat, dust, gum, dungeon, glut. 

16. IT as in full, represented by, u, o, oo, ou. — Pro- 
duced by bringing the lips a little nearer together 
than in u in hut. When correctly formed, the base 
of the tongue is depressed, and the lips evenly ap- 
proximated. The lips should not be thrust out 
like a funnel as is sometimes done, but the corners of 
the lips should meet, the central edges approach each 
other without projection, and the base of the tongue 



ACCENT AND PKONUTCIATION. 505 

is depressed firmly, so as to round off the angle of 
the neck and chin. 

Pull, bull, wolf, Wolsey, woman, good, hood, hook, 
crook, look, should, could, stood, would, bosom. 

17. IT, as in rule represented by u, ue, ew. o, oo,oe, ou, 
oeu, too. — The same as u in full, except that the 
lips are brought a little closer together. 

Plume, prune, accrue, flue, shrew, crew, drew, lose, 
to, who, groom, hoop, hoof, canoe, amou, bousy. 

18. U as hi use, represented by u, ue, ui, eau, eu t ew. 
— This is a diphthong beginning with y, as in yet 
and ending with u, as in rule. The great error in 
pronouncing words with this sound, is to pronounce 
such words as allure, new, induce, assume and tune 
as if they were spelled alloor, noo, indooce, assoom 
and toom. Such pronunciation is baby talk. 

Assure, attitude, hue, juice, beauty, feud, few, hew, 
purlieu, purview, student, tube, tulip. 

The dipthongs represented by two signs are oi, as 
in oil and ou as in our. 

1. Oi, as in oil represented by oi, oy. — This dipthong 
is a compound of a, as in all and e, as in eve. For a 
as in all the root of the tongue is depressed and its 
surface concave, while in e, as in eve the root is ele- 
vated, the surface convex and the lips slightly contract 
the labial aperture as the tongue rises. These two 
have to be combined into one to produce oi, as in oil, 
beginning almost with a, as in all and closing nearly 
with e, as in eve. 

Assoil, boil, coil, boy, coy, annoy, soil, joy, toil, foil. 

2. Ou as in our, represented by ou, ow. — This is a 
sort of slide from a in arm to u in hut. It is often 
mispronouncd by placing a or e before it, and giving 
it a sort of nasal sound, as keow for cow, haouse for 
house. 



506 ELOCUTION AND OKATORY. 

Account, bough, doubt, allow, cow, enow, flour. 

H y as hi hay. — This is simply an aspirate or whis- 
pered emission of the breath through the open 
mouth. It is generally a whisper of the sound which 
follows, the organs assuming the same position as 
for that sound. 

CONSONANTS. 

3. Pas in pay, represented hyp, gh. — Formed by a 
steady equal contact of the lips, which retains the 
breath, and a rapid separation of the lips, permitting 
the breath to escape. If the contact of the lips is 
not firm enough, the sound will be f, not p, and if the 
action of the lips is heavy, the p, will not be heard at 
the end of the words. The sound is an obstruction of 
breath with no vocality, but a slight explosion of 
breath at the finish. The separation of the lips should 
be uniform, free from all faults of trembling, weak- 
ness and pouting, opening only a part at the time. 

Ape, apple, deep, dap, gap, flap, hope, hiccough. 

4. B, as in bay, — This is formed in the same way as 
p, except that the breath is vocalized, in addition to 
the compression and explosion in p. 

Abbey, dabble, fable, gable, mob, nob, back, bath. 

T as in tell, represented by t, ght. — In the formation 
of t, the edges of the tongue are laid against the 
front and sides of the mouth, so as to completely ob- 
struct the breath, and the flat surface of the end of the 
tongue presses against the front of the roof of the 
mouth, and the tip touches the upper gum. While the 
tongue is in this position, there is a continued pres- 
sure of the breath against it, so that when a central 
opening is made in front by a removal of the whole 
tongue from the palate, the breath will issue with an 
explosive sound. It is possible for the breath to es- 



ACCENT AND PRONUNCIATION. 507 

cape at apertures made at any part of the tongue but 
all openings except the front central one form the sound 
imperfectly, and constitute faults in the utterance of 
this letter. T, before 1, however, is formed by the 
breath escaping through a lateral aperture, and be- 
fore u, by escape through a nasal opening. 
Pat, bat, mat, potato, stop, bright, might, light. 

5. D, as in day or die. — This bears the same relation 
to t, that b does to p, it is formed in the same way as t 
but the voice is exerted while the tongue is in con- 
tact with the palate, and a muffled sound is heard. 
In phonetic terms t is light, and d is heavy. 

Bad, mad, sad, door, drain, drunk, dowdy, doughty 
Ch as in chair. — This sound is nearly, but not quite 
equivalent to the sound of tsh. The sound is a sort 
of compound, the first element of which is formed by 
applying the upper flat surface of the tongue near 
the tip to the gum a little higher up than the gum of 
the upper front teeth, and a relaxation of this contact 
produces the second element ah. The two elements 
are so closely blended that they have the effect of 
one sound on the ear. 

Child, chase, chain, much, touch, church, chill, chart. 

6. J, as in joy represented by j, g. — This is formed 
in the same way as ch, except that the breath is vocal- 
ized, making a heavier sound. Ch is light, and j is 
heavy. 

Cajole, enjoin, judge, injunction, germ, hedge, 
page. 

7. If, as in key, represented by Jc 9 c 9 ch 9 c7c 9 g 9 gh. — 
This sound is formed by placing the back part of 
the tongue against the posterior part of the pal- 
ate, and speaking in a half audible sound. The 
point where the tongue comes in contact with 
the roof of the mouth varies before the different 



508 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

vowels. For some the point is a little farther forward 
than for others. The fore-part of the tongue should 
not be thrust down into the bed of the jaw or 
against the front teeth, but should be kept as nearly 
horizontal as possible. Stammering in this letter is 
often caused by pushing the middle of the tongue 
up, and pressing with the point against the lower 
front teeth. 
Duke, dyke, back, crime, archives, quack, kick. 

8. 6r, as in gay, represented by g, n, x. — Formed in 
the same way as k, except,that the^breath is vocalized. 
This effort of voice is made during the contact of the 
tongue and palate. 

Gave, gone, gun, exaggerate, examine, exalt, exert. 

9. F 9 as in faith, represented by f t gh, ph. — This 
is formed by placing the middle of the lower lip 
against the edges of the upper front teeth, while the 
breath is forced against them ; followed by the 
rapid withdrawal of the lip to finish the articulation. 
In forming this sound the upper lip should not move, 
and the lower lip should only rise sufficiently to press 
against the upper teeth. 

Fife, fee, cough, enough. Phillip, phantasy, haft, 
waft. 

10. V, as in van, represented by v, f, ph. — Formed 
in the same way as f, except that the breath is vocal- 
ized more, f is light, v is heavy. 

Vile, avail, ivy, of, over, nephews, Stephen, eve. 

11. Th, as in thing — This is formed by placing the 
front edge of the tongue against the inner surface of 
the upper front teeth, and causing the breath to es- 
cape over the sides of the forepart of the tongue. 
The breath is aspirated, and the lips slightly parted 
in uttering the sound. 

Bath, birth, both, breath, forth, fifth, hath, kith. 



_ 



ARTICULATION. 509 

12. Th, as in then — This is formed with the organs 
in the same position as th in thin, except that the 
tongue is not so high up and the breath is vocalized. 

Bathe, beneath, breath, burthen, blithe, hither. 

13. S 9 as in see, represented by s, e. — This is a 
hissing sound, formed by pressing the sides of the 
tongue slightly against the roof of the mouth. This 
leaves a small aperture for the emission of breath 
over the centre of the fore-part of the tongue, while 
the tongue itself is in contact with the teeth and gum, 
so that the breath cannot escape anywhere but 
through this aperture. This aperture should be 
squared sufficiently to allow the emission of breath 
through the mouth without touching the teeth. If the 
tip of the tongue projects it will touch the teeth, and 
modify s into th, and we will have the prattle of 
childhood, a " thort of childish thound " which should 
be avoided. The finish of the articulation of a is 
made by the retraction of the tongue from the 
position described above. 

Safe, son, certain, cycle, ace, brace, fuss, grass, kiss. 

14. Z y as in azvre, represented by z, s } ss. — This 
sound is cognate with s in see. It is formed by 
placing the flat surface of the tongue against the roof 
of the mouth with the teeth brought almost together, 
and the vocalized breath is forced out between the 
tongue and the teeth. The sound is a buzz like s in 
measure. 

Razure, seizure, glazure, Asia, brasier, crozier, scis- 
sion. 

15. Z. as in zone represented by z, x, c, s. — This is 
also similar to s, in see, and is formed by pressing 
the edges of the tongue near the tip against the 
roof of the mouth, near the front teeth, the teeth 
being nearly closed. The vocalized breath is forced 



510 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

through the aperture thus formed in a buzz. The 
position is similar to that of s in see, except that 
more of the tongue is brought into contact with the 
roof of the mouth. S, in see is light while the 
sounds of z are heavy. 

Zodiac, zunic, Xenophon, xiphoid, discern, sice, 
suffice, use, abuse, desert, presume, design, desire, 
resort. 

16. Sh as in shun, represeyited by sh } sc, *, ss, c, cA, t, 
x. — This sound is similar to z in azure, except that 
the breath is aspirated instead of being vocalized. 
In this sound the point of the tongue is drawn in- 
ward from the position in s, as in see, and the middle 
of the tongue rises slightly within the arch of the 
palate. 

Sash, shrove, shrink, ocean, facial, nescient, chagrin, 
chaise, nauseous, passion, virtuous, noxious, fixture. 

17. L as in lay. — This sound is formed with the 
mouth open, as in the position for e in err. The 
fore-part of the tongue is in contact with the front 
roof of the mouth «and there is an uninterrupted cur- 
rent of pure sound flowing over the sides of the 
back of the tongue. The sound thus escapes freely 
on both sides of the point of contact, and the fore- 
part of the tongue being removed from its point of 
contact the articulation of the letter 1 is accomplished. 
Without the removal of the tongue the sound would 
be a vowel. 

Oil, owl, earl, isle, loins, melon, lively, lovely, little, 

18. M as in may. — This is produced by a gentle 
compression of the lips and a steady and free ex- 
piration of the whole volume of sound through the 
cavities of the nostrils. It is a murmur in the head 
and chest similar to that of b, and the more tight the 
lips are pressed the more intense is the sound. 



ARTICULATION. 511 

Arm, cram, doom, fame, groom, hum, jam, ram, sum. 

19. JST as in nay. — This is produced by placing the 
flat surface of the fore-part of the tongue in contact 
with the front roof of the mouth near the upper front 
gums, and passing the sound freely through the nos- 
trils as in m. The lips are freely apart. 

Nun, noon, noun, nine, stolen, barn, name, fan, ken. 

20. R as in ray. — In the formation of this sound the 
mouth is open, about as in a in arm. The middle of 
the tongue is raised up towards the roof of the mouth, 
and the tip of the tongue vibrates against the ridge 
of the upper gum. In final r, or r as in far, the tip 
does not touch the gum but is curled back, producing 
a slight vibration. The voice passes through the 
mouth. 

Ray, raw, wry, pray, bar, fir, nor, cur, [hire, err. 

21. W as in way, represented by w, u } o. — This sound 
is connected with u in rule. The organs are in the 
same position except that the lips are brought closer 
together. An effort of voice is produced which 
resembles oo, and the articulation is finished by a 
smart recoil of the lips for the utterance of the fol- 
lowing vowel. 

War, awake, well, assuage, conquest, choir. 

22. Y as in yet, represented by y, i 9 j, u. — This is 
formed in the same way as i in pin, except that the 
middle of the tongue is raised nearer the roof of the 
mouth. 

Yellow, youth, million, scullion, guardian, guerdon, 
guide, Hallelujah, yield, use, spaniel, vitiate, year. 

23. Wh as in when. — This is the voiceless or light 
form of w. It commences with an expulsion of 
whispered breath, the lips being in the position for 
w. The breath is then slightly aspirated, the lips 



512 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

are closely approximated, and then rapidly separated 
and the breath unobstructed. 

What, wheel, wheeze, whelk, whale, whet, whey, 
which, wherry, whelm, whelp, whim, whip, whirl, 
whisk, while. 

24. Ng as in sing, represented by ng, n. — This is 
formed by placing the back-part of the tongue in 
contact with the corresponding part of the roof of the 
mouth and permitting the voice to pass through the 
nasal cavities. 

King, gang, spring, sung, young, length, strength, 
anger, angle, ankle, anchor, cinque, clank, conquer. 

25. Nk as in blink, represented by nk nc. — In 
forming this sound the organs are placed in the same 
position as for ng, but the sound is shut or stopped 
off by the atonic k. 

Blink, kink, shrink, sink, cunctation, cunctator. 

EXERCISE IN PRONUNCIATION. 

PROLOGUE TO THE INTERESTING STORY OF 

ARCHIMEDES. 

In the incisive heroism of chivalric viragoes, the prescience of 
this sage saw a warranty for the reparable character of the seem- 
ingly irremediable ills of medieval European archives. But he was 
ever indisputably in a quandary, as to synonyms in the nomencla- 
ture of his recondite system of leverage without levers, as well as 
to accessory queries concerning aqueous cements. Therefore he 
divested himself of his exquisite cerements, and issued from the iso- 
lation of his Byzantine mausoleum to write a memoir of his pre- 
decessors that should be an irrefutable and irrefragable panegyric. 
"Without premonition he raised a sonorous diapason, which rose 
into the azure, and reached the tympanums of the vegetable souls, 
who beyond the horizon, and beyond the zodiacal light keep tryst, 
and utter lamentable orisons without respite. But contumely, in- 
comparably acrid has been the guerdon of the philosophic sage, 
whose medullary column has long being deliquescent. He shared 
the fate of that dynasty of Syracuse, for whose sovereign he labored 
with fidelity and without relaxation. Wherefore his memory is 
perfumed with the perfume of anticipatory inquiry, and the record 



AETICULATION 513 

of his presentations to our knowledge is the prelude to the ex- 
traordinary epochs that have followed. He was a placable man 
exemplary in his conduct and economical in his habits. He wag 
peremptory with his children, but gladly helped in their pleasures 
and vagaries. The generosity of his nature is seen in that he one 
day met an Arab named Calliope in Palestine, coming from the 
Italian exarchate, and divided with him his plethoric store of sup- 
plies. He always made his perorations ancillary and adjutory to 
his addresses and held it obligatory to give due advertisement of 
the meeting of the legislature. In view of all this, and to compen- 
sate for the state of his finances, which compelled him to live in 
squalor, we concentrate our efforts to sing a consolatory idyl as 
his requiem. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 

, Pitch or Place in the Scale is a modification of 
voice due to the number of vibrations in each note. 
The more rapid the vibrations, the higher the pitch ; 
the slower the vibrations, the lower the pitch. 
Pitch differs both from force and quality of 
sound. It is that peculiar sound of the voice, which 
we call high or low. A person is said to speak in a 
high or low tone, that is, in a high or low pitch. 
The higher the tone is, the shorter the length of the 
vibrations, and the lower the tone, the longer the 
vibrations. The student must be careful about con- 
founding high and low pitch with loud and soft,- 
Loud and soft are terms used to describe the quality 
or power of voice, not the pitch. One may read with 
a loud or soft voice, and yet the pitch may be high or 
low according to the sentiment. We make use of the 
high key or pitch when we wish to be heard at a dis- 
tance, because the sound being more acute or sharp, 
the same degree of force can be heard at a greater 
distance in a high pitch than a low one. A low pitch, 
on the contrary, is that which we assume when speak- 
(514) 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 515 

ing to a person near at hand, and do not wish to be 
heard by others, as a low tone from the graveness of 
its sound is less audible than a high one. If we speak 
in a pitch such as we would use when calling, but 
with gentle, or very little force, we have a high note 
in a soft tone, and so if we use great force with low 
pitch we have a low note with a loud voice. Changes 
of pitch are made by alteration of the longitudinal 
tension of the vocal cords, caused by different actions 
of the stretching muscles ; by shortening of the vi- 
brating portions of the vocal cords ; by alteration of 
the shape of the vibratory portions of the cords ; by 
narrowing or broadening of the vibrating edges ; by 
changing the shape of the vocal opening, and by 
different pressure of the breath. There are three 
degrees of pitch common to all — middle, high, and 
low pitch. The high and low may be divided into 
high and very high, low and very low. The middle 
pitch is the voice of all ordinary discourse, from 
which the reader or speaker rises or falls according 
to the sentiment. The middle pitch ought to be gen- 
erally used, because the organs of the voice are 
stronger and more pliable in this than any other pitch. 
It is generally the pitch upon which all reading or 
speaking begins, and the speaker should be careful 
not to commence in a high or low key, else he may 
find it impossible to sustain it or make variety. Vari- 
ation of pitch is necessary to the melody of speech, 
and every reader or speaker should cultivate changes 
in pitch, that his speech may be melodious. Middle 
pitch expresses average feeling, or a mind free from all 
strong emotion. It is the tone of unimpassioned ut- 
terance and appeals to the understanding, rather than 
the heart. It is used in common conversation, tran- 
quility, plain and practical sermons, and scientific 



516 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

essays. Very high pitch is used in ecstatic and rap- 
turous or uncontrollable emotion, in high-wrought 
lyric dramatic passages and strains of joy, grief, sor- 
row, remorse, pity, admiration, astonishment, delight, 
tenderness, love, and the hysterical extremes of pas- 
sionate emotions, as anger, vexation, impatience, 
eagerness, hurry, alarm, fear and terror. High pitch 
expresses gay and joyful emotions, while low pitch 
expresses serious and impressive thoughts, grave 
authority, meditation, indignation and austere man- 
ner. Very low pitch expresses deep solemnity, rev- 
erence, sublimity, amazement, awe, horror, revenge, 
despair, melancholy, deep grief and kindred feelings. 

VERY HIGH PITCH. 

There's a dance of leaves in that aspen bower, 
There's a titter of winds in that beechen tree, 
There's a smell on the fruit and a smile on the flower, 
And a laugh from the brook that runs to the sea. 

On with the dance, let joy be unconfined ; 

No sleep till morn, when youth and pleasure meet 

To chase the glowing hours with flying feet. 

Ring joyous chords ; ring out again ; 

A swifter still, and a wilder strain ; 

And bring fresh wreaths ; we will banish all, 

Save the free in heart from our festive hall, 

On to the maze of the fleet dance, on. 

HIGH PITCH. 
Away from the dwellings of care-worn men, 
The waters are sparkling in grove and glen ; 
Away from the chamber and sullen hearth, 
The young leaves are dancing in breezy mirth ! 
Their light stems thrill to the wild-wood strains, 
And youth is abroad in my green domains — 

A thousand hearts beat happily ; and when 
Music arose with its voluptuous swell, 
Soft eyeslook'd love to eyes that spake again. 
And all went merry as a marriage bell. 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 517 

Hurrah for the sea ; the all-glorious sea, 

Its might is so wondrous, its spirit so free, 

And. its billows beat time to each pulse of my soul, 

Which impatient, like them, can not yield to control. 

But now shed flowers, pour wine, 

To hail the conquerors home ; 
Bring wreaths for every shrine ; 

Lo ! they come, they come. 

For thou hast said in thy heart, " I will ascend into heaven, 
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will ascend above 
the heights of the clouds ; I will be like the Most High. 

MIDDLE PITCH. 

How peaceful the grave ! its quiet how deep ! 
Its zephyrs breathe calmly, and soft is its sleep ; 
And flowerets perfume it with ether. 

Nazareth was then a poor despised city. Nothing good was 
ever expected to come out of it. Nevertheless it was a beautiful 
city. It lay in a plain of exceeding fertility, abounding in corn- 
fields, in gardens, in hedges of cactus, and clusters of fruit-bearing 
trees. The climate is mild, the atmosphere glistens with nourish- 
ment. The dews of heaven fall in fertile showers upon the plain, 
and forth-with springs an early harvest of luscious fruit. 

The very law which molds a tear, 

And bids it trickle from its source, 
That law preserves the earth a sphere, 

And guides the planets in their course. 

While there is hope, do not distrust the gods, 
But wait at least till Caesar's near approach 
Force us to yield. 'Twill never be too late 
To sue for chains and own a conqueror. 

LOW PITCH. 

My Christian friends we stand to-day upon this globe which 
is forever revolving onward to its close. The time is coming when 
it shall be a black, cheerless, uninhabited mass, whirling on through 
space. When its fires of life shall go out and be no more seen, 
when this planet and all this wondrous creation shall no longer be 
an object of interest to the universe around us. The hours are 



518 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



flowing on, the days are rolling past, the years are circling by, the 
centuries are being written one by one by the pen of time. Genera- 
tions after generations of men have come and gone. Men and 
women have appeared upon the field of action and having looked 
around at the marvelous scenes of life, have thought, conjectured, 
have wondered whence all has come, and whither all is going. In 
the vast cemeteries of the past are all our brethren with all their hopes 
and ambitions. In the vast cemeteries of the future, there is a 
coffin, there is a tomb prepared for you and me, and which we 
shall inhabit as surely as the sun revolves in the sky. 

VERY LOW PITCH. 

Night, sable goddess, from her ebon throne, 

In rayless majesty now stretches forth 

Her leaden sceptre o'er a slumbering world. 

Silence how dead ; and darkness how profound ; 

Nor eye nor listening ear an object finds. 

Creation sleeps. 'Tis as the general pulse 

Of life stood still, and nature made a pause — 

An awful pause, prophetic of her end. 

The tombs 
And monumental caves of death look cold, 
And shoot a chillness to my trembling heart. 

'Tis midnight's holy hour, and silence now 
Is brooding like a gentle spirit o'er 
The still and pulseless world. 

Hush ! the dead march wails in the people's ears, 
The dark crowd moves, and there are sobs and tears; 
The black earth yawns, the mortal disappears. 

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ; 

He is gone who seemed so great. 

How frightful the grave ! how deserted and drear, 
With the howls of the storm-wind, the creaks of the bier, 
And the white bones all clattering together ! 

Inflection is an upward or downward slide of the 
voice from the average or level of the sentence. In 
one sense it may be said to be a function of pitch, 
that is, it is the manner of sliding from one pitch to 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 519 

another, but it must not be confounded with pitch. 
It is not the key or pitch of voice, in which the word 
or sentence is uttered. Pitch is the point in the scale 
to which the inflection reaches, but the inflection is 
the part between ; the process of sliding the voice 
from the one pitch to the other. Inflection is of great 
importance in expressing emotion and meaning. 
Meaning is often conveyed by an inflection, which a 
whole sentence would not convey without it, a pro- 
per balancing of inflections produces harmony of ut- 
terance, aud clearness of meaning. Speech without 
inflection would be monotonous, hence the necessity 
of cultivating correct inflection. The degree in the 
scale to which the inflection ascends or decends, de- 
pends upon the emotion or feeling. The more intense 
the emotion, the greater will be the degree of inflec- 
tion ; sometimes the slide may pass through from 
three to eight notes. Inflections may be simple or 
compound. The simple are the rising and falling 
the compound are the rising and falling circumflex. 
The rising inflection is that where the voice rises 
from the former level in pronouncing a word, and is 
represented by the acute accent. The falling is that 
where the voice falls from the level and is marked by 
the grave accent. The circumflex inflection is that 
in which the rising and falling are combined on the 
same syllable. When the tone of voice has no up- 
ward or downward slide, but continues on the same 
level on successive syllables, resembling the tolling of 
a bell, it is called monotone. Inflection takes place 
on the vowel sounds as it is only on these, and by a 
prolongation of them that the inflection can be brought 
out distinctly. Inflection usually expresses emo- 
tional states, and these require prolongations of the 
vowels for expression. 



520 ELOCUTION AND ORATOKY. 

EXAMPLES FOR INFLECTION. 

Will you go" or stay ? Will you ride or walk ? 
Did he travel for health, or for pleasure ? 
Is it the rising or the falling inflection ? 
He travelled for health, not pleasure. 

Rouse thee iip ; O waste not life in fond delusions, 
Be a soldier — be a hero — be a man. 

May I stay here ? I have no objection. You may if you like. 

Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and 
my heart to this vote. 

Lord let me know my end, and the number of my days, that I 
may be certified how 16ng I have to live. 

RULES FOR THE RISING INFLECTION. 

General Rule. — The rising inflection carries on the 
attention of the hearer to what is to follow, it denotes 
incompleteness of statement, appeal to the hearer's 
will or knowledge and is the slide of suspension, 
doubt, interrogation, deference, tender emotion, sur- 
prise and wonder. 

Rule 1. — "When the meaning of a clause or sentence 
is incomplete or depends on something which follows 
it has the rising inflection. 

As we can not discern the shadow moving along the dial plate 
so we can not always trace our progress in knowledge. 

In every station which Washington was called to fill, he ac- 
quitted himself with honor. 

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

Who n6ble ends by n6ble means obtains, 
Or failing smiles in exile or in chains, 
Like good Aurelius let him reign, or bleed 
Like Socrates — that man is great indeed. 



MODIFICATIONS OF YOICE. 521 

Words and phrases of address, as they are intro- 
ductory expressions, take this inflection unless when 
emphatic. 

Friends, I come not here to talk. 

Soldiers, you right for home and liberty. 

When the words of address are emphatic they have 
the falling. 

On ye brave who rush to glory or the grave. 

Listen, Americans, to the lesson which seems borne to us on the 
very air we breathe, while we perform these dutiful rights. Ye 
winds that wafted the pilgrims to the land of pr6mise, fan in their 
children's hearts the love of freedom ; blood which our fathers 
shed cry from the ground ; echoing arches of this renowned hall, 
whisper back the voices of other days ; glorious Washington, 
break the long silence of that votive canvas ; speak, speak marble 
lips ; teach us the love of liberty, protected by law. 

Rule 2. — There is a suspensive or slight rising in- 
flection, which is used when the sense is suddenly 
broken off as in a dialogue. 

Poet. — the poisoning dame — 

Friend. — You mean — 

P.— I don't. 

F.— You d6. 

This inflection prolonged is also used in reading 
verse or poetic prose when it is not emphatic instead 
of a distinct rising or falling inflection, which would 
make the utterance prosaic, and divest the expression 
of its beauty. 

Here waters, wftods, and winds in concert join, 

And flftcks, woods stream around, repose and peace impart, 

The wild brook babbling down the monntains' sidfe ; 

The lowing herd ; the sheepfold's simple bell, 

The pipe of early shepherd dim descried 

In the lone valley ; echoing far and wide, 

The clamorous horn, along the cliffs above ; 



522 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

The hollow murmur of the ocean tide ; 

The hum of bges, the linnet's lay of 16ve, 

And the full choir that wakes the universal grove. 

Rule 3. — Negative clauses or sentences take the 
rising- infection. * 

Let not my cold w6rds here accuse my zeal, 
'Tis not the trial of a woman's w£r. 
The bitter clamor of tw6 e&ger tongues 
Can Arbitrate this cause, betwixt us twain. 
And can I not of such tame patience bo&st, 
And to be hush't and naught at all to say. 

Rule 4. — Clauses which express doubt or contin- 
gency take rising inflection. 

If that the face of men 

The sufferance of our s6uls, the time's abuse ; 

If these be motives weak, bre&k off betimes ; 

But if these 

(As I am sure they d6) bear fire enough. 

To kindle cowards and to steel with valor 

The melting spirits of w6men, then, countrymen, 

What need we any spur but our 6" wn c£use 

Rule 5. — Questions which can be answered by yes 
or no end with the rising inflection. 

Do you see yon cloud ? 

Your steps were hasty ; did you speed for nothing ? Your 
looks imply concern ; concern for nothing ? 

Rule 6. — The penultimate or last inflection but one 
in a clause or sentence is in most cases a rising in- 
flection which prepares the voice for an easy and 
natural descent at the close of the sentence. 

The rocks crumble, the trees fall, the leaves f&de, and the 
grass withers. 

It will be the duty of the historian and the sage, in all ages to 
omit no occasion of commemorating that illustrious man ; and, 
till tune shall be no more, will a test of the progress which our 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 523 

race made in wisdom and in virtue, be derived from the veneration 
paid to the immortal name of Washington. 

It is worthy of note that strong emphasis may 
change most of these inflections to the falling. 

Rule 7. — Sentences that convey appeal, prayer, and 
supplication take the rising inflection. 

Oh save me, Hubert, save me ! 

For heaven's s&ke, Hubert, let me not be b6und ; 

Nay hear me Hubert, drive these men away, 

And I will sit as quiet as a lamb. 

Oh, spare mine eyes— 

Though to no use but still to look on you. 

Is it n6t m6re than midnight now ? H£ve mercy ; 
Oh, do n6t grasp me with such violence, 
Oh spare me, sure I have not injured thee ? 
Let me n6t weep and pray to thee in vain ! 

Rule 8. — Sentences that express joy, love, hope, 
friendship and kindred feelings take the rising inflec- 
tion. 

Oh, speak ag&in bright angel ! for thou drt 
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head, 
As is a winged messenger of heaven 
Unto the white upturn' d wondering eyes 
Of mdrtals that fall back to gaze on him 
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds, 
And s&ils upon the bosom of the air. 

Ah ! simple heart and sweet, 

You loved me, damsel, surely with a 16ve 

Far tenderer than my queen's. Pr&y for thy s6ul. 

Ay, that I will— Farewell, too, n6w at l&st. 

Farewell fair lily. 

Rule 9. — Surprise, amazement, wonder and kindred 
emotions take a high rising inflection. 

Ha" ! laiighest thou, Ldchiel, my vision to sc6rn ? 
Indeed : acknowledge a traitor for our sovereign ? 



524 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Oh beautiful ! oh wondrous ! Oh divine, 
A scale had fallen from my sight, 
A marvelous glory was called forth 
And sh6ne upon the face of earth. 
I saw millions of spirits darting 
To and fro athwart the air— spirits 
That my magic had never yet discerned, 
Spirits of rainbow hues and quivering 
With the j6y that made their nature. 

RULES FOR FALLING INFLECTION. 

General Rule. — The falling inflection directs the at- 
tention of the hearer to what has been said ; it de- 
notes completeness of statement, or predicates the 
speaker's will or knowledge, and is the inflection of 
conclusion, assurance, affirmation, command, denun- 
ciation, reprehension, exclamation and emphasis. 

Rule 1. — The full falling inflection usually takes 
place at the cadence or close of a sentence, and the 
moderate falling inflection occurs at the end of a 
clause which makes complete sense, independent of 
what follows. 

No life is pleasing to God, but that which is useful to mankind. 

Law and order are f org6tten ; violence and rapine are abroad ; 
the golden cords of society are lo6sed. 

(Exception) Plaintive expression and poetic style 
may change the moderate falling to the rising. 

Cold o'er his limbs the listless languor grew, 
Paleness came o'er his eyes of placid blue ; 
Pale mourned the lily, where the rose had died ; 
And timid, trembling, came he to my side. 

The oaks of the mountains fall ; the mountains themselves de- 
cay with years ; the ocean shrinks and grows again ; the moon 
herself is lost in heaven ; but Thou art forever the same, rejoicing 
in the brightness of thy course. 




FEED. W. tfABBAB, L. D. 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 525 

Rule 2. — An interrogative sentence, which can not 
be answered by yes or no, takes the falling. 

Why was I born to taste this depth of woe ? 
Why closed not darkness o'er my infant life ? 
In that accursed day when joyful lips, 
Unknowing of the future, raised the cry, 
" Rejoice, O mother ! Lo I a child is born." 

What ! my young master ? Why, what make you here ? 

Why are you virtuous ? Why do people love you ? 

And wherefore are you gentle, strong and valiant ? 

Why would 3011 be so fond to overcome 

The haughty pride of the humbrous Duke ? 

Rule 3. — Solemn affirmation, command, reprehen- 
sion and denunciation take emphatic or intensive 
falling inflections. 

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have 
kept the faith. 

tip ! comrades up ! in Rockby's halls. 
On ! countrymen, 6n ? — for the day — 
The proud day of gl6ry — is come. 

Oh ! shame on us countrymen, shame on us all 
If we cringe to so dastard a race ! 
You blocks, you stones ! you w6rse than senseless things. 
Woe unto you Pharisees ! woe unto you lawyers. 
Tremble, ye traitors ? whose schemes 

Are alike by all parties abh6rred ; 
Tremble ! for roused from your parricide dreams, 
Ye shall soon meet your fitting reward. 

Rule 4. — Exclamations of terror, fear, distress, ha- 
tred, revenge and anger take emphatic falling in- 
flections. 

Angels ! and ministers of grace defend us I 
Wretch that I am ; alas, why am I s6 ? 
O villian, villian, smiling, damned villian 1 
Curse, curse, Glenalvon ! 



52G ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

You wretch, you could enjoy yourself, like a butcher's dog in 
the shambles fattening on garbage, while the slaughter of the 
brave went on around you. 

Rule 5. — Gloom, dejection, melancholy and similar 
emotions have a prevalence of the falling inflection. 
My soul is sad that I have roamed through life, 
Still most a stranger, most with naked heart, 
At mine own home and birthplace ; chiefly then 
When I remember thee, my earliest friend — 
Thee, who didst watch my b6yhood and my youth, 
Didst trace my wanderings with a father's ey& ; 
And boding evil, yet still hoping go6d, 
Rebuked each fault, and over all my woes 
Sorrowed in silence. 

She 6nly said, " The night is dreary, 

He cometh not," she said ; 
She said, ' ' I am aweary — aweary ; 

I would that I were dead." 

Mule 6. — Emphatic words, emphatic succession of 
particulars, and emphatic repetition, require the fall- 
ing inflection. 

They tell us, sir, that we are weak — unable to c6pe with so f6r- 
midable an adversary. 

Thrice was I beaten with r6ds ; once was I stoned ; thrice I 
suffered shipwreck ; a night and a day have I been on the deep. 

You wr6ng me every way, you wr6ng me, Brutus. 
RULES ON THE SERIES. 

The word series signifies a number of single words, 
or a number of clauses, following each other in regu- 
lar succession. A succession of words is called a 
simple series ; a succession of clauses, a compound 
series. When a series leaves incomplete sense it is 
called a commencing series. When the sense is com- 
plete it is a concluding series. 

General Mule. — A slight falling inflection takes 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 527 

place on every member but one of a series of succes- 
sive words or clauses. When the series is a com- 
mencing series it has the falling inflection on every 
member except the last which takes the rising in- 
flection. 

The heavens for height, the earth for depth, and the heart of 
kings is unsearchable. 

The air, the earth, the water, teem with delightful existence. 

Birth, rank, wealth, learning are advantages of slight value, if 
unaccompanied by personal worth. 

The dimensions and distances of the planets, the causes of their 
revolutions, the paths of comets, and the ebbing and flowing of 
tides, are now understood and explained. 

(The Litany of the Episcopal Church furnishes good examples.) 

Rule 1 — "When the series is a concluding series, it 
has the rising inflection on every member except 
the last which takes the falling. 

The influence of true religion is mild and soft, and n6iseless, 
and constant, as the descent of the evening dew on the tender 
herbage, nourishing and refreshing all the amiable and social vir- 
tues ; but enthusiasm is violent, sudden, rattling as a summer 
shower ; rooting up the fairest f!6wers, and washing away the 
richest mould in the pleasant garden of society. 

Well-doing is the cause of a just sense of elevation of character, 
it clears and strengthens the spirits, it gives higher reaches of 
thought, it widens our benevolence, and makes the current of our 
peculiar affections swift and deep. 

(Exceptions.) In emphatic, abrupt, and discon- 
nected series, every member has the falling inflec- 
tion, light and humorous description, and the lan- 
guage of pathos, tenderness and beauty causes every 
member to take the slight rising inflection, 

The shore now resounded with the roar of cannon, the shouts 
of battle, the clash of arms, the curses of hatred, the shrieks of 
ag6ny. 



528 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

No mournful flowers, by weeping fondness laid, 
No pink, no r6se drooped on his breast displayed. 

CONTRASTED INFLECTION. 

"When negation is opposed to affirmation, the for- 
mer has the rising, and the latter the falling inflec- 
tion in whatever order they occur, and whether in 
the same or different sentences. 

I did not say a better soldier, but an elder. 

He was esteemed, not for wealth, but for wisdom. 

It is not a parchment of pedigree — it is not a name derived from 
the ashes of dead men, that makes the only charter of a king. 
Englishmen were but slaves, if, in giving crown and scepter to a 
mortal like ourselves, we ask not in return, the kingly virtues. 

Rule 2. — In reading concessions and antitheses or 
contrasts, the less important number has the rising, 
and the preponderant one the falling inflection. 

Science may raise you to eminence, but virtue alone can guide 
you to happiness. 

I rather choose 
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and y6u, 
Than I will wrong such honorable men. 
It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in gl6ry ; it is sown in weak- 
ness, it is raised in power ; it is sown a natural body, it is raised 
a spiritual body. 

Rule 3. — When the conjunction or, connects words 
or clauses, it has the rising slide before, and the fall- 
ing after it. 

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men ? 

"Will you rise like men, and firmly dssert your rights, or will 
you tamely submit to be trampled on ? 

Are the people virtuous, or vici6us ? intelligent, or ignorant ; 
affluent, or indigent ? 

Rule 4. — When or is used conjunctively, the second 
inflection does not fall, but rises higher than the first. 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 529 

Would the influence of the Bible — even if it were not the record 
of divine revelations — be to render princes more tyranical, or sub- 
jects more ungdvernable ; the rich man more insolent or the poor 
more disorderly. Would it make worse parents or children — hus- 
bands or wives, mdsters or servants, friends or neighbors ? 

Rule 5. — In questions and answers, the falling in- 
flection ends as far below the average level of the 
sentence, as the rising ends above it. 

Did you speak to it ? My lord, I did. 

Are they Hebrews ? So am I. Are they Israelites ? So am I 
Are they the seed of Abr&ham ? So am I. 

Rule 6. — Indirect questions which can not be an- 
swered by yes or no have the falling inflection, and 
the answer has the same. 

Whom say the people that I am ? They answering said, " John 
the Baptist ; but some say Elias'; and others say that one of the 
old pr6phets is risen again." 

Who first seduced them to that foul revolt ? The infernal ser- 
pent. 

What, Tubero, did that naked sw6rd of yours mean, in the bat- 
tle of Pharsalia ? At whose breast was its point aimed ? What 
was the meaning of your arms, your spirit, your eyes, your hands, 
your ardor of soul ? 

Rule 7. — Harmonic inflections are employed in 
sentences where many words are emphatic, in this 
case a rise precedes a fall, and a fall precedes a rise. 

He has been guilty of one of the most shameful acts that ever 
degraded the nature or the name of men. 

Rule 8. — "Words, phrases, and sentences, which are 
repeated for effect, rise higher and fall lower in in- 
flection, besides increasing in force at every repetition. 

CIRCUMFLEX OR* WAVE. 

When the circumflex begins with the falling and 
ends with the rising inflection, it is called the rising 



530 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

circumflex, and when it begins with the rising, and 
ends with the falling it is called the falling circum- 
flex. 

General Rule. — The circumflex is used in all ex- 
pressions having a peculiar sense or a double mean- 
ing and in the tones of mockery, sarcasm and irony. 

Rule 1. — When a word suggests an antithesis, and 
does not openly express it, that word has emphatic 
force and circumflex inflection. Affirmative or posi- 
tive clauses take the falling, and negative or contin- 
gent the rising circumflex. 

Remember thee ? 

Ay ! thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat 

In this distracted globe. Remember thee ? 

Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous, 
Old, feeble, carrions and such suffering souls 
That welcome wrongs ; unto bad causes swear, 
Such creatures as men doubt. 

Never fear th&t if he be so resolved, 

I can o'er sway him ; for he loves to hear 

That unicorns may be betrayed with trees. 

Rule 2. — Words or clauses antithetic in meaning 
and emphatic in character take the falling circumflex 
on the positive or absolute member, and the rising 
on the negative or relative member. 

It is not night when I see your face. 
Therefore I think I am not in the night, 
Nor does this wood lack worlds of cftmpany, 
For you, in my respect, are all the world. 
Then how can it be said, I am alone, 
When all the world is here to look on me ? 

Seems, madam ! nay, it is ; I know not seems. 

'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, 

Nor customary suits of solemn black 

That can denote me truly. These indeed seem ; 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 531 

For they are actions that a man might play, 
But I have that within which passeth show, 
These are but the trappings and the suits of woe. 

For the expression of the emotions the circumflex 
is prolonged. 

Rule 3. — Irony, scorn contempt and reproach have 
emphatic, prolonged circumflex inflection. 

A peasant's son, a wandering beggar boy, 
At best no more even if he'd spoke the truth. 

And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them, and said 
"Cry aloud ; for he is a God ; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, 
or he is on a journey, or peradventure, he sleepeth and must be 
awaked." 

You say you are a better soldier ; 

Let it appear so ; make your vaunting true, 

And it shall please me well. For my own part 

I shall be glad to learn of noble men. 

Monotone is a dead level voice. It is always on a 
lower pitch than the preceding part of a sentence, 
and thus greater effect is given to its deep solemn 
note, which resembles the tolling of a heavy bell. 
Sometimes it destroys all pauses and keeps up one 
continuous stream of overflowing sound. 

Monotone must be distinguished from monotony. 
Monotony is the dull repetition of sounds on the 
same pitch and with the same quantity. It lacks 
variety and spirit. The whole passage is read in this 
dull way. A whole passage may be read in a mono- 
tone and yet have variety, because although each 
sentence in the passage may be read in a monotone 
yet each individual sentence may differ in pitch from 
other sentences in the passage. 

Rule 4. — The tones of grand and sublime descrip- 
tion, profound reverence, or awe, of amazement and 
horror are marked by the monotone. 



532 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



As when the sun, new-risen looks through the horizontal misty 
air, shorn of his beams or from behind the moon in dim eclipse, 
disastrous twilight sheds on half the nation and with fear of change 
perplexes monarchs. 

In all times 

Calm or convulsed, in breeze, or gale, or storm 

Icing the pole, or in the torrid clime 

Dark, heaving, boundless, endless and sublime, 

The image of eternity, the — the throne 

Of this the Invisible . . . 

. . . Thou goest forth, dread fathomless alone. 

I had a dream which was not all a dream ; 

The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars 

Did wander, darkling, in the eternal space, 

Rayless and pathless, and the icy earth 

Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air; 

Morn came, and went— and came, and brought no day, 

And men forgot their passions in the dread 

Of this, their desolation, and all hearts 

Were chill'd into a selfish prayer for light. 

True time is an utterance well proportioned in 
sound and pause, neither too fast nor too slow. The 
reading- or speaking should never be so fast that the 
words become indistinct, nor so slow that it lacks vivac- 
ity and so spoils the effect of what is read. Time de- 
pends upon the length of the pauses made, and the 
quantity of the vowel sounds. Some vowels are nat- 
urally longer than others, thus a in male is longer 
than a in mat, or e in in met, so a in hand is longer 
than a in hat or e in net, and i in pine is longer than i 
in thin. This length of the vowel sounds is called 
quantity. The longer vowel sounds are called long 
and the shorter, short in quantity. Syllables are 
fixed or variable in time or quantity ; thus syllables 
containing a short vowel and ending with k,(c, ch) 
p, or te, etc., can not be prolonged without a drawl 
hence they are said to be fixed, but almost every syl- 






MODIFICATIONS OP VOICE. 533 

lable, whether the vowel is short or long- can be pro- 
longed, when there is a reason for it, and so are called 
variable. It is very important that a proper move- 
ment should be observed in reading or speaking, as 
it gives life to what is said, and renders what is 
spoken lively and interesting. The rate of the move- 
ment is ruled by the degree of the emotion or feeling 
expressed. Anything tender, solemn, plaintive or 
grave is read with great moderation. Everything 
humorous, sprightly, witty or amusing should be de- 
livered in a brisk and lively manner. Narration 
should be given in an even-flowing way ; dignity, au- 
thority sublimity, reverence, and awe, should along 
with deeper tone, have a slow movement. The rate 
of movement should be adapted to the sentiment, free 
from all hurry or drawling, and the pausing should 
be carefully proportioned to the rate of movement. 
The reader or speaker should not change the move- 
ment from slow to fast, or fast to slow, unless there 
is a ( h.iuge in the sense or emotion which requires 
it. There are six applications of time in connection 
with the rate of movement in reading and speaking, 
namely : very quick, quick, lively, moderate, slow 
and very slow. 

Very quick or rapia^ time is the movement for haste, 
alarm, confusion, anger, vexation, fear, revenge and 
extreme terror. 

Quick or brisk movement expresses joy, hope and 
gay exhilarated feelings ; playful, humorous and 
mirthful words. 

Lively movement is characteristic of lively or ani- 
mated emotion. 

Moderate movement is the utterance of ordinary 
and unimpassioned language, also of narration, des- 
cription and didactic thought. 



534 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Sloio movement is the rate for gloom, sorrow, mel- 
ancholy, grief, pity, tender love, admiration, sublim- 
ity, reverence, veneration, solemnity and the usual 
forms of deep repose, grandeur, dignity, authority, 
awe, majesty, vastness, power and splendor. 

Very sloic movement is the rate for expressing the 
strongest and deepest emotions ; as, horror, despair, 
solemnity, awe, adoration, and profound reverence. 
VERY QUICK TIME. 
Away ! away ! and on we dash ! 
Torrents rise rapid and less rash, 
Away ! away ! my steed and I 
Upon the pinions of the wind, 
All human dwellings left behind ; 
We sped like meteors through the sky. 
A hurry of hoofs in a village street, 
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark, 
And beneath from the pebbles in passing, a spark 
Struck out by a steed that flies fearless and fleet. 
I am the rider of the wind, 
The stirrer of the storm, 
The hurricane I left behind 
Is yet with lightning warm ; 
To speed to thee, o'er shore and sea 
I swept upon the blast. 
QUICK OR BRISK TIME. 
Forth from the pass in tumult driven, 
Like chaff before the winds of heaven, 

The archery appear ; 
For life, for life their flight they fly ; 
While shriek, and shout, and battle cry, 
And plaids and bonnets waving high, 
And broad-swords flashing to the sky, 
Are maddening in their rear. 

The cataract strong 
Then plunges along, 
Striking and raging, 
As if a war waging, 



MODIFICATIONS Of VOICE. 535 

Its caverns and rocks among ; 
Rising and leaping, 
Sinking and creeping, 
Swelling and sweeping, 
Showering and springing, 
Flying and flinging, 
Writhing and ringing, 
Turning and twisting, 
With endless rebound. 

LIVELY TIME. 

When over the hills like a gladsome bride, 
Morning walks forth in her beauty's pride, 
And leading a band of laughing hours, 
Brushes the dew from the nodding flowers. 
Oh ! cheerily then my voice is heard, 
Mingling with that of the soaring bird, 
Who flingeth abroad his matins loud, 
As he freshens his wing in the cold gray cloud. 

I am the daughter of earth and water, 

And the nursling of the sky ; 
I pass through the pores of the oceans and shores, 

I change but I cannot die, 
For after the rain, when with never a stain, 

The pavilion of heaven is bare, 
And the winds and sunbeams, with their convex gleams, 

Build up the blue dome of air. 
I silently laugh at my own cenotaph, 

And out of the caverns of rain, 
Like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb, 

I arise and up-build it again ! 

MODERATE TIME. 
Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense 
Lie in these words — health, peace and competence. 
But health consists in temperance alone ; 
And peace, O virtue, peace is all thy own. 

I consider a human soul without education, like marble in the 
quarry, which shows none of its inherent beauties, until the skill 
of the polisher fetches out the colors, makes the surface shine, and 
discovers every ornamental cloud, spot, and vein that runs through 



58C> ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

the body of it. Education, after the same manner, when it works 
upon a noble mind, draws out to view every latent virtue and per- 
fection, which without such helps, are never able to make their 
appearance. 

SLOW TIME. 
So live, that when thy summons comes to join 
The innumerable caravan that moves 
To the pale realms of shade, where each shall take 
His chamber in the silent halls of death, 
Thou go not like the quarry slave at night, 
Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed 
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, 
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. 

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Be- 
fore the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed 
the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting Thou 
art God. 

Wide as the world is his command, 

Vast as eternity his love : 

Firm as a rock his truth shall stand, 

When rolling years shall cease to move. 

VERY SLOW TIME. 

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, 
The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea ; 

The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, 
And leaves the world to darkness and to me. 

Thou of old hast laid the foundation of the earth ; and the 
heavens are the work of Thy hands. They shall perish, but Thou 
shalt endure ; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment ; as a 
vesture shall Thou change them, and they shall be changed ; but 
Thou art the same : and Thy years shall have no end. 

Appropriate pauses are very important in good 
reading or speaking, they give impressiveness to de- 
livery, bring out the meaning of sentences and ex- 
press feeling or emotion. 

By means of pauses or rests, language is divided 
up, and those words which express one idea are set 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 537 

apart by themselves. By this means words which are 
closely related and ought to be together are joined 
to each other, and those which are not so closely re- 
lated are separated. This makes language stand out 
in phrases, and the ear recognizes the thought in each 
phrase immediately by means of the pauses. 

The breath taken should be long or short according 
as the pause is long or short. The pauses are 
nature's times for supplying the breath. There are 
three functions of pause, grammatical, rhetorical and 
rhythmical. 

Grammatical pauses are those which indicate the 
syntactical relation of the words and clauses in a sen- 
tence. These symbolize only a more or less close 
relation of the words and clauses, they do not indi- 
cate the character of that relation, hence the sense of 
the words may make it necessary to disregard these 
pauses in reading. These pauses vary in length and 
are represented by the marks of punctuation. They 
aid the eye rather than the ear in ascertaining the 
meaning of a sentence ; hence a good delivery often 
requires a pause where there is no punctuation, and 
sometimes makes no pause where punctuation inserts 
one. The rule to be observed with respect to gram- 
matical pauses, is first to find by their aid the mean- 
ing of what is to be read, and deliver the same, 
pausing as long and as often as the sentiment requires. 

Rhetorical pause is expressive of powerful emotion 
and is very effective in reading or speaking. This 
pause also varies in length and is made when there 
are no grammatical points, or in addition to them 
when the sentiment requires a pause, their duration 
depends upon the length of the clause or the signifi- 
cance of the words that precede or follow them. They 
are represented to the eye by perpendicular strokes 



538 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

thus, short : long | longer II . Rhetorical pauses are 
chiefly employed to bring out the meaning of what 
is uttered, to point out the proper cessation of the 
voice, and to promote ease and harmony of delivery. 

Rhythmical pauses are used in connection with ac- 
cent to produce the rhythm of speech. They occur 
more frequently in poetry and poetic prose than in 
prose. They are exemplified in the caesura pause, 
which occurs near the middle of each line of poetry, 
and also by pauses which occur at the end of lines 
and verses. They may also be represented by 
straight lines thus ||. 

Some || place the bliss || in action, some|| in ease; 

Those || call it pleasure, and contentment || these. 

Oratorical pauses are introduced into passages that 
express the deepest and most solemn emotions, 
such as naturally arrest and overpower rather than 
inspire utterance, . The sentence was — death. 
There is one sure refuge for the oppressed, one sure 
resting-place for the weary — the grave. 

RULES FOR PAUSES. 

Rule 1. Pause after the nominative when it consists 
of more than one word or is emphatic : 

The love of money | is the root of all evil. 

Life | is short and a*rt, is long. . 

The fool | hath said in his heart " There is no God." 

When the nominative is composed of several sub- 
stantives, a pause is made after each substantive, as 
well as the last. 

Riches | pleasures | and health, become evils to those who do 
not know how to use them. 

Rule 2. — Pause before and after an intervening 
phrase. 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 539 

Talents J ] without application | | are no security for progress in 
learning. 

Trials | | in this state of being | | are the lot of man. 

Rule 3. — Pause before and after a phrase interven- 
ing between the verb and its object. 

I knew a person who possessed the faculty of distinguishing 
flavors in so great perfection that after having tested ten different 
kinds of tea he would distinguish, | without seeing the color of it,| 
the particular sort which was offered him. 

Rule 4. — Wherever transposition of clauses may take 
place a pause should be made. 

Through the dreadful snow-storms of winter | Napoleon marched 
with his army. 

Through dangers most appalling | he advanced with heroic in- 
trepidity. 

Rule 5. — Pause before relative pronouns, proposi- 
tions, conjunctions, or adverbs used conjunctively 
when followed by a clause depending on them. 

A physician was called in | who prescribed appropriate reme- 
dies. 

The traveller began his journey | in the highest spirits, | and 
with the most delightful anticipations. 

There is an inseparable connection | between piety and virtue. 

Rule 6. — When there are several adjectives belong- 
ing to the same substantive, those coming after the 
substantive are separated by a pause, and those 
coming before the substantive are separated by a 
pause except the last, and a pause is also made before 
a single adjective following its noun. 

Hers was a soul | replete with every noble quality. 

A behavior | active | supple | and polite [ is necessary to succeed 
in life. 

Let but one brave | great | active | disinterested man arise, and 
he will be received, followed and venerated. 



540 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Rule 7. — Pause where ellipsis, or omission of words 
takes place. 

Add to your faith | virtue ; and to virtue | knowledge ; and to 
knowledge | temperance ; and to temperance | patience ; and to 
patience | godliness ; and to godliness | brotherly kindness ; and to 
brotherly kindness | charity. 

To your elders manifest becoming deference ; to your compan- 
ions | frankness ; to your juniors | condescension. 

Rule 8. — Before a verb in the infinitive mood gov- 
erned by another verb. 

The General now commanded his reserve force | to advance to 
the aid of the main body. 

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind | to suffer the slings and arrows 
of outrageous fortune. 

Rule 9. — Words placed in opposition to, or in op- 
position with each other must be marked by a pause. 

Some | place the bliss in action some | in ease ! 
Those | call it pleasure and contentment | these. 

The pleasures of the imagination, taken in their full extent, are 
not so gross | as those of sense, nor so refined | as those of the un- 
derstanding. 

Rule 10. — Before and after parenthetical clauses 
which in Latin would be called ablative absolute. 

If a man borrow aught of his neighbour, and it be hurt or die | 
the owner thereof not being with it | he shall surely make it good. 

God from the Mount of Sinai, whose grey top 
Shall tremble | he descending | will himself | 
In thunder, lightnings, and loud tempest's sound | 
Ordain them laws. 

No rule can be given regarding the length of the 
pauses ; this depends upon the taste of the reader or 
speaker. The length should be in proportion to the 
importance of the sense, and not merely to the gram- 
matical structure of the clauses or sentences. In 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 541 

making pauses the sense should be carried over the 
pause, that is, there should simply be a suspension of 
the voice during the pause,the voice should have the 
same inflection or pitch after the pause as before it, 
unless there is some reason for changing, which there 
will sometimes be from excess of emotion, or some 
other cause. The voice utters the word before the 
pause, unless the pause denotes complete sense, with a 
certain pitch or inflection. The pause is made by sus- 
pending the voice for a certain period of time, and 
the word after the pause is uttered with the same pitch 
or inflection as the word before it ; in this way 
the sense is not interfered with. At all of the 
pauses, breath should be taken in, more or less, ac- 
cording to the length of the pause, but no more 
should be inhaled than is used in sound, else it will 
produce a pressure on the lungs which may be in- 
jurious. 

Force is the variation of strength and weakness of 
voice. It is the application of strength of voice in 
different degrees to express emotion. It depends 
upon the amplitude of the vibrations ; the wider 
the vibrations, the louder the sound. We judge of 
the effect of any feeling or sympathy on the speaker 
by the degree of force he gives to the sound of his 
voice. Force varies in degree from the gentlest to 
the most vehement ; hence the exercise of force is of 
great benefit in strengthening the voice, but the 
speaker should always make his voice smooth and 
musical, not harsh and disagreeable ; for the strongest 
degree of force can be given in such a way that a 
smooth and natural intonation will still be its char- 
acteristic. Shouting is not what is meant by force, 
but a degree of strength of voice, which is according 
to the sentiment of what is uttered, and the space to 



542 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

be filled by the voice. The degrees of force vary 
with the time, pitch, inflection and emotion ; thus 
quick time requires a great degree of force, slow 
time a lesser degree. High pitch requires greater 
force than low pitch, and strong emotions require 
greater force than weak emotions. Thus anger, 
hate, ferocity and revenge require strong force, 
while thoughts, sentiments, or conditions that ex- 
press humility, modesty, shame, doubt, caution, ir- 
resolution, apathy, mystery, repose, fatigue or pros- 
tration from disease require moderate force. Joy 
is loud when calling for companionship. Bodily 
pain, fear and terror when they are not depressed 
or subdued by weakness or an overpowering in- 
fluence of the emotions express themselves with 
strong force. This is with the view of calling for 
aid or of repelling the cause. The degrees of force 
may be said to be six in number, namely : very 
soft, soft, moderate, loud, sustained or calling. 

VERY SOFT. 

The streets grow still and lonely ; and the star, 
The last bright lingerer in the path of morn, 

Gleams faint, and in the very lap of war, 
As if young Hope with twilight's ray were born 

Awhile the city sleeps ; — her throngs, o'erworn 
With fears and watchings, to their homes retire. 

Oh! lightly, lightly tread 

That the blind-mole may not hear a foot fall. 

Tread lightly on her, earth, 
Her step was light on thee. 

SOFT OR GENTLE. 

Flow, softly flow, by lawn and lea, 
A rivulet, then a river ; 
No more by thee my steps shall be, 
Forever and forever ! 



MODIFICATIONS OF YOICE. 543 

Tread lightly, comrades ! Ye have laid 

His dark locks on his brow- 
Like life, save deeper light and shade — 

We'll not disturb them now I 
Tread lightly ! for 'tis beautiful, 

That blue-veined eyelid's sleep, 
Hiding the eye death left so dull ; 

Its slumber we will keep ! 

MODERATE. 

A party of scientists were one day exploring a vast cavern when 
they found all further progress impeded by a dark and unknown 
chasm. Wondering what the depth of this chasm might be, they 
cast in some fragments of a rock, and with their watches in their 
hands stood listening for the report of their fall, that they might 
estimate the depth of the blackness at their feet from the interval 
between the casting in of the stones and the noise made as they 
struck against the bottom. Thus they stood listening intently, but 
no sound came back, no sullen splash of the fragments on water, 
no clinking stroke as of rock against rock ; nothing but silence, 
the most intense silence. 

LOUD FORCE. 

Blow wind, and crack your cheeks, rage! blow I 

You cataracts and hurricanes, spout 

Till you have drench'd our steeples, drown'd the cocks, 

You sulphurous and thought-executing fires, 

Vaunt couriers to oak-clearing thunderbolts, 

Singe my white head ! And thou, all-shaking thunder 

Strike flat the thick rotundity of the world, 

Crack nature's moulds, all germens spill at once, 

That make ungrateful man. 

Oh Rome, Rome! thou hast beena tender nurse to'me. Ay, th©u 
hast given to that poor, gentle, timid shepherd lad, who never 
knew a harsher tone than a flute note, muscles of iron and a heart 
of flint ; taught him to drive the sword through plaited mail and 
links of rugged brass and warm it in the marrow of his foe ; — to 
gaze into the glaring eye-balls of the fierce Numidian lion as a boy 
upon a laughing girl. And he shall pay thee back, until the yellow 
Tiber is red as frothing wine, and in its deepest ooze thy life-blood 
lies curdled. 



544 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

VERY LOUD FORCE. 

It is done ! 
Clang of bell and roar of gun ! 

Send the tidings up and down. 
How the belfries rock and reel ! 
How the great guns peal on peal, 

Fling the joy from town to town I 

Come back, come back, Horatius ! 

Loud cried the Fathers, all — 
Back, Lartius ! back Herminius I 

Back, ere the ruins fall ! 

SUSTAINED FORCE OR CALLING. 

Come brands, ho ! fire-brands ! To Brutus ! To Cassius !— 
burn all ! Some to Decius' house, and some to Casca's ; some to 
Ligarius' — away ! 

From every hill, by every sea, 
In shouts proclaim the great decree ! 
All chains are burst, all men are free ! 
Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah ! 

Call the watch ! call the watch ! 
Ho ! the starboard watch ahoy ! 

Stress is a peculiar modification of force, which is 
applied to tones or syllables. It is one of the elements 
that distinguishes speech from music. In music a 
sound has its forcible part in the middle of the note, 
because there is a swell and diminish of the sound, 
but in speech, with the exception of median stress the 
chief force of each sound is on the opening and clos- 
ing part, and this is what is called stress. In music 
there is a gradual increase of force, but in speech 
and reading the increase is often abrupt. 

Radical stress, that where the force is on the in- 
itial part of the sound. 

Median stress, that where the force falls on the 
middle part of the sound. 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 545 

Vanishing stress, where the force is on the last part 
of the sound. 

Compound stress, where the force is on both the be- 
ginning and closing part of the sound. 

Thorough stress, where the force is on the initial, 
middle and final portions of the sound. 

Tremor a tremulous or intermittent stress. 

Radical stress is the manifestation of impulsive 
emotions, such as anger, rage, revenge, fear, authority, 
command, reverence, earnest argument, supplication, 
distinct communication,wrath, rage, hurry, impatience, 
courage, exultation, imperious mirth, positive affirm- 
ation and energetic sentiments. Radical stress is 
of two kinds, explosive and expulsive. 

Explosive. — This is an instinctive, unconscious, and 
involuntary manifestation of impulsive emotions, 
such as anger, rage, revenge, fear, etc. 

Up drawbridge ; groom ; what warder, ho ! 
Let the portculis fall. 

You common cry of curs ; whose breath I hate, 
As reek of the rotten fens, whose love I prize 
As the dead carcasses of unburied men, 
That do corrupt my air — I banish you ! 

Expulsive. — This is a conscious, intentional and de- 
liberate force coming from the lips with great power, 
and expressing reverence, invocation and authorita- 
tive command. 

Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold ; 
Is this a time to be gloomy and sad, 

When our mother Nature laughs around, 
When even the deep blue heavens look glad, 

And gladness breathes from the blossoming ground ? 
The clouds are at play in the azure space, 

And their shadows at play on the bright green vale j 
And here, they stretch to the frolic, the chase j 
And there, they roll on the easy gale. 



546 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Median stress expresses reverential feeling, fervent 
emotions, earnestness, dignity, plaintiveness, wonder, 
awe, respect, deliberation, solemnity, supplication, 
and reverential submission. Median stress is also of 
two kinds. Effusive and suppressed. 

Effusive. — This is a moderate, gentle, and gradual 
swelling of the tone on the middle of the sound. It 
has a resemblance to the swell in music, and expresses 
the calm and tranquil utterance of reverential feeling 
and fervent emotion, and the sublime, solemn and 
pathetis, It is appropriate for poetic expression 
since no disturbing influence agitates or forces out 
the breath, but the sound glides out in a smooth, 
effusive stream. It is gliding and graceful, avoids 
everything abrupt or sudden in the formation of 
sound, and swells gradually till it reaches its greatest 
force in the middle of the sound, then it gradually 
diminishes toward the close. This stress invests 
speech with beauty, and marks the refinedspeakerfrom 
the rude and uneducated. 

Calm on its leaf -strewn bier, 

Unlike a gift of nature to decay — 

Too rose-like still, too beautiful, too dear, 

The child at rest before its mother lay ; 

Even so to pass away, 
With its bright smile ; Elysium what wert thou 
To her that wept o'er that young slumberer's brow ? 

Suppressed or Explosive force is checked in the act 
of utterance and changed into median stress. It ex- 
presses admiration, courage, authority, command, 
indignation and similar feelings. It is used when 
one wishes to speak with great earnestness and feel- 
ing to some one at a distance, and yet is anxious not 
to be heard by another'standing farther away. The 
voice is sometimes a half whisper^ and is caused by 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 547 

an escape of breath which is not vocalized, together 
with the sound of the voice. It is often used by 
watchers in a sick chamber. 

Hark ! James, listen ! for I must not speak loud, 
I do not wish John to hear what I am saying. 
Step softly ; speak low, make no noise. 

Silence ! in undertones they cry, 

No whisper — not a breath ; 

The sound that warns thy comrades nigh 

Shall sentence thee to death. 

And once behind a rick of barley, 
Thus looking out did Harry stand ; 
The moon was full and shining clearly, 
And crisp with frost the stubble land — 
He hears a noise — he's all awake — 
Again ; on tip-toe down the hill 
He softly creeps. 

VANISHING STRESS. 
This begins with soft force swelling upward, and 
bursting out suddenly, it leaves off instantly and ab- 
ruptly with its loudest degree on the close of the 
sound. It is the language of impatient feeling, and 
expresses determined will, earnest resolve, stubborn 
passion, scorn, defiance, revenge, horror, contempt, 
peevishness, excessive grief, stern rebuke, wonder, 
astonishment, fierce and obstinate will, dogged sul- 
len temper, impatient ardor, surprise, fretfulness, 
strong complaint, supplication, etc. It is exempli- 
fied in the bark of a dog threatening to bite, and the 
sound of a musket when it hangs fire from damp 
powder, and gives forth a hissing sound before the 
final explosion. 

I'll have my bond ; I will not hear thee speak, 
I'll have my bond ; and therefor speak no more, 
I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool, 
To shake the head, relent, and sigh and yield 



548 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

To Christian intercessors. Follow not ; 

I'll have no speaking — I will have my bond I 

Blaze, with your seried columns ! 

I will not bend the knee ; 
The shackles ne'er again shall bind 

The arm which now is free. 
I've mailed it with the thunder, 

"When the tempest muttered low, 
And where it falls, ye well may dread 

The lightning of its blow ! 

Compound stress is a combination of initial and 
vanishing stress, that is, it puts the force of the voice 
on the beginning and end of each emphatic sound. 
It is marked by a bold upward slide commencing low 
and closing very high, with peculiar .force of voice 
on the first and last parts of the slide, which render 
these more prominent and distinct to the ear. It ex- 
presses surprise, astonishment, sarcasm, mockery, 
raillery, and energy or violence. 

Gone to be married ! Gone to swear a peace ! 

False blood to false blood joined ! Gone to be friends ? 

It is not so ; thou hast mis-spoke, mis-heard, — 

Be well advised, tell o'er thy tale again ; 

It cannot be ; — thou dost but say 'tis so ! 

You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things, 
Oh you hard hearts ; you cruel men of Rome ! 

Know you not Pompey ? many a time and oft 
Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, 
To towers and windows ; yea, to chimney-tops, 
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat 
The livelong day with patient expectation, 
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome ; 
And do you now put on your best attire ? 
And do you now cull out a holiday ? 
And do you now strew flowers in his way 
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood ? 

Thorough stress is a combination of radical, median, 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 549 

and vanishing stress on the same sound. It is a 
strong force brought to bear on the whole sound. 
It not only begins and closes vividly, but has a 
medial swell and distinct vanish, which marks with 
distinctive force the beginning, middle and end of 
each accented sound, so that it might almost be 
called a strong medial stress. It is used in calling 
and shouting, and expresses joy, rapture, triumph, 
exultation, lofty command, indignant emotion, strong 
contempt, scorn, disdain, excessive grief and virtuous 

indignation. 

Princes ! potentates ! ^^ 
Warriors ! the flower of heaven, once yours, now lost, 
If such astonishment as this can seize, 
Eternal spirits . . . 
Awake ! arise ! or be forever fallen! ! 

The world recedes ; it disappears ! 

Heaven opens on my eyes, my ears 
With sounds seraphic ring ? 

Lend, lend your wings ; I mount, I fly ; 

O grave ! where is thy victory I 

O death where is thy sting. 

Tremor or Intermittent stress is a trembling of the 
voice which occurs in all emotions that enfeeble it. 
It expresses feebleness or exhaustion from sickness, 
old age, fatigue, grief, cold, anxiety, alarm, eagerness, 
pity, plaintiveness, intense emotion, suppressed ex- 
citement or satisfaction, and even in extreme joy or 
tenderness. 

Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, 

Whose trembling limbs have borne him to thy door. 
Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span — 
Oh, give relief, and heaven will bless your store ! 

She prayed, her withered hand upraising, 
While Harry held her by the arm — 
" God, who art never out of hearing, 
Oh may he never more be warm ! " 



550 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Rhythm is a measured flow of language, which 
should be observed in all good reading and speaking. 
Every writer or speaker has his own peculiar rhythm 
by which his style can be recognized. It is an im- 
portant element in the language of all great orators 
and poets. We see it in the measured declamation 
of Chatham, the varied cadences of Ossian, the met- 
rical flow of Milton and the sublime strains of Scrip- 
ture. The beauty of almost every author's style is 
largely due to the rhythm of his language, and this 
rhythm ought to be conveyed by the voice of the 
reader or speaker. In uttering a single word, the 
voice is somewhat stationary, but when a number of 
words or clauses are uttered, the voice varies in 
sound, quantity and pitch on the different syllables, 
with a peculiar measured movement. 

The principal elements of rhythm are quantity j 
accent, rhythmical accent, rhetorical and pro- 
sodial pauses. Quantity has reference to the com- 
parative length of syllables. Accent in its primitive 
sense has reference to the rise and fall of the voice. 
Ehythmical accent has reference to the alternation of 
heavy and light syllables. It is the thesis and arsis of 
the Greeks, and corresponds with the fall and rise of a 
time-beater in music. It is usually represented by 
bars which divides the language into measures just 
as measures are divided in music, the first syllable 
after the bar is uttered with more weight of voice 
than the others, and the syllables are called heavy 
and light. The three elements — accent, quantity and 
poise may occur on the same syllable, but they are 
elements distinct from each other. Perhaps the 
most important element in rhythm is that of poise or 
the alternation of heavy and light. Eecent investi- 
gations into the action of the vocal cords in speaking 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 551 

show that there is a regular action and reaction that 
produces and keeps up this alternation of heavy and 
light, which is the foundation of flow and measure 
both in speech and song. This is caused by a pecu- 
liar action of the little vocal ligatures called the 
thyroid and cricoid cartilages which produce alter- 
nate tension and relaxation. This alternation of 
heavy and light is distinct from, and independent of, 
loud and soft, strong and feeble, high and low, acute 
and grave, long and short ; for it occurs in a mere 
whisper when all sonorous vibration is absent, which 
we would expect in order to produce these character- 
istics. The heavy syllable may be either long or 
short, acute or grave, strong or feeble. The voice 
may drop from its loudest elevation to a mere whisper 
and still be heavy, yet not forcible or strong. 

Hail | holy Kght | offspring of heaven | first born. 

On | Linden | when the | sun was low 
-411 bloodless | lay the untrodden | snow, 
And dark as | wmter | was the | flow 
Of | .Zser | rolling | rapidly, ! 

In some cases pauses supply the place of syllables. 
Every heavy syllable is naturally followed by a light 
but sometimes a rhetorical or prosodial pause takes 
the place of a heavy syllable, and the next syllable is 
a light one. It will also be seen that in some cases 
one syllable has both heavy and light sound. 

The | snow | shall | be their | wmding | sheet, 

And every | turf \ beneath their | feet 

Shall j be a | soldier's | sepulchre ! 

A proper observance of the light and heavy syl- 
lables is absolutely necessary to good reading and 
speaking. Some make errors in reading by uttering 
all the syllables as if they were heavy, as : 



552 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Forth | rushed | the giant | clueftain j from the \ camp, 
In | blazing \ arms | more dread | ful than before | 
High | on his | head a | snow-white \ plume appeared, 
Which | waved | and nod | ded as | he strode | along. 

While the reader should observe the distinctions 
of light and heavy syllables, he should not make 
this distinction so prominent, that the heavy shall 
appear very strong, and the light scarcely perceptible. 
Some measures consists of two syllables, the first 
heavy, and the second light, or the first may be light 
and the second heavy. These measures in the lan- 
guage of prosody are composed of two feet the first 
heavy or accented and the second light or unaccented 
and vice versa. In some measures one of the feet 
either accented or unaccented may be wanting, and 
its place is supplied by a musical character called a 
rest, which indicates a pause, as : 
^1 capable | **l of af | fording | 

*! On | Lmden | *1 *1 | when the | sun was | low | 
^1 ^411 | bloodless | *1 | lay the un | trodden | snow | 
^ **l | *1 And | dark as | wmter | **l was the | flow 
*1 | iser | rollmg j rapidly | *l *[ | ^ *l | 



[BURKE'S DESCRIPTION OF MARIE ANTOINETTE.] 

It is | now, ^1 sixteen or | seventeen | years | ^1 since I | saw 
the | Queen of | France, *1 | then the | Dauphiness, | *\ at Ver- | 
sailles: *1 | ^ *\ | *1 and) | surely | never | lighted | on this | 
orb, ^1 | *1 which she | hardly | seemed to | touch ^1 | ^1 a | more 
de- | lightful | vision. | *! ^ | *1 *l | ^ I | saw her | just a- | bove 
the ho- | rizon | ^1 ^1 | decorating | M and | cheering | **l the | 
elevated | sphere | *1 she | just be- | gan to | move in : | **l ^1 J 
glittering | **1 like the | morning | star : | **l ^1 | full of | life, — *H 
and | splendor, | **l and | joy. *1 | **! *1 | ^1^ | 

Oh ! | what a | revo- | lution ! | ^1 ^1 | ^1 and | what a | heart | 
^1 must I | have, | ^! to con- | template | ^ with- | out e- | motion, 
| *l *l | that ele- | vation | *l and | that | fall." *l | *l *1 | *l *l | 



MODIFICATIONS OF YOICE. 553 

[PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE INTRODUCED IN THE 
BURIAL SERVICE.] 

| I | M am the | ^-Resiir- | rection — M and the | life, | MM | M 
saith the | Lord ; | M M | he. that be- | lieveth in | me, j MM | M 
though he were | dead, | M M | yet shall he | live : | M M | M and 
—whoso- | ever | liveth | Mand be- | lieveth in | me, j M shall | 
never | die | MM | MM | 

M I | know | M that my Re- | deemer | liveth, | M M | and that 
he shall j stand | Mat the j latter | day | M upon the | earth, | MM 
| and though | worms de- | stroy this J body, | M M | yet in my | 
flesh— M shall I | see | God. | MM | MM | 

ORATORICAL DECLAMATION. [LORD CHATHAM.] 

I | cannot | M my | Lords, M | M I | will not, | join | M in con- 
— gratulation [ M on mis- [ fortune | M and dis- | grace. | M M | M 
M | This, | M my | lords, M | M is a | perilous | M and tre- | 
mendous | moment ; | M M | M it is j not a | time for | adu- | 
lation : | M M | M the | smoothness of | flattery | M M | cannot | 
save us | M in this | rugged and [ awful | crisis. | M M | M M | M 
It is | now | necessary — M to in- | struct the | throne | M in the | 
language of | truth. | MM | MM | ^We | must,M | Mif | possible, 
| M dis- | pel the de- [ lusion and | darkness | M which en- | 
velope it ; | ^^ | M and dis- | play,M | M in its | full | danger | 
M and | genuine | colors, | M the | ruin | M which is | brought to 
our doors. | M M j M M | 

ELEGIAC STANZA. 

M | Full | many a | gem, | M of | purest | ray | M se- [ rene, | 
MM I 
M The | dark | M un- | fathomed | caves of | ocean | M M | bear; 
| MM | MM | 
M Full | many a | flower | M is | born to | blush un- | seen, | M M 

I 
M And j waste | M its sweetness | M on the | desert | air. | M M 
|MM| 

SPENCERIAN STANZA. 

M Wher- | Ver we | tread, | M'tis | haunted, | MM ] holy M | 
ground : | M M | M M | 
| No | earth | M of | thine | MM | M is | lost | M in | vulgar | 
mould! | MM | 



554 ELOCUTION AND OKATORY. 

M But | one | vast | realm | Y of | wonder | *1 *1 | spreads a- 
round; | *1 Y | 

Y And | all the | Muse's | tales | Y seem | truly | told, | *l *l | 
'Till the | sense | aches with | gazing | Y'to be- | hold | 

Y The | scenes | Y our | earliest | dreams | Y have | dwelt upoD 

I 11 1*1*1 I 
| Each | hill | Y and | dale, | YY | Y each | deepening | glen | 
Y and | wold, | ^^ | 

Y De- | ties the | power | Y which | crushed thy | temples | gone: 

| YY | *1*l 
| Age | shakes A- | thena's | tower, | Y but | spares | ^gray | 
Marathon. | YY | YY | 

Bight Emphasis is the mind's valuation of thought 
in expression. Important thoughts should be dis- 
tinguished from unimportant in expression. Some 
elocutionists define emphasis as " a stronger degree 
of force placed on the important words in a sentence." 
This is wrong and leads to a bad method of emphasiz- 
ing, and to a delivery which is harsh, jagged and un- 
even, on account of the exclusive use of force. A de- 
livery of this kind is disagreeable, because it lacks 
harmony and naturalness. Emphasis should not be 
given in one way only, but in many ways. The 
meaning of a phrase often depends upon what word 
is made emphatic, " as " Will you ride to Boston to- 
day "? meaning to-day not to-morrow. " Will you 
ride to Boston to-day ?" meaning Boston, not some 
other place. " Will you ride to Boston to-day?" that 
is, will you ride, not walk. " Will you ride to Boston 
to-day ?" you, not some one else. " Will you ride to 
Boston to-day ?" a question of fact expressing a 
doubt as to whether the person will go to Boston. 

Emphasis is either simple or compound. It is simple 
when it is only on one word, and compound when on 
more than one word. Emphasis is impassioned, de- 
stinctive and relative. Impassioned emphasis ex- 
presses thought or feeling with great energy. 



MODIFICATIONS OF YOICE. 555 

False wizard, a vaunt ! You shall die, base dog! 

Distinctive emphasis designates objects to the atten- 
tion or distinguishes them to the understanding : 

The fall of man is the main subject of Milton's great poem. 
"We are two travellers, Roger and I — Roger's my dog. 

Relative emphasis is that which occurs on words 
that express comparison, correspondence or contrast. 

Cowards die many times : the brave but once. 

By pride cometh contention ; but with the icell-advised is wisdom. 

Relative emphasis is very appropriately given by 
contrasting the rising inflection with the falling ; it 
may also be given by the circumflex inflection and 
monotone. 

For this corr?/ptible must put on in corruption, and this mortal 
must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have 
put on incom/ption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, 
then shall be brought to pass the saying, " Death is swallowed up 
in victory. Oh death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy 
victory ? 

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars ; 
But in ourselves, that we are ?mderlmgs. 

He, I warrant him, 
Believed in no other gods than those of the creed, 
Bowed to no idols — but his money-bags ; 
Swore no false oaths — except at the cwstom-house ; 
Kept the Sabbath idle ; built a monument 
To honor his dead father. 

Holy ! holy I holy ! Lord God of Sabaoth ! 

Time. — Emphasis may be given by dwelling longer 
upon the emphatic word or clause than upon the un- 
emphatic, also in some cases by uttering the emphatic 
words in quicker time. 

Thou, who didst put to flight 
Primeval silence, when the morning stars, 
Exulting shouted o'er the rising ball ; 



556 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

O Thou whose word from solid darkness struck 
That spark — the sun, strike wisdom from my soul ! 

Lord Thou has been our dwelling place in all generations. Be- 
fore the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed 
the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting Thou 
art God. 

Here it comes sparkling, 
And there it lies darkling, 
Now smoking and frothing, 
Its tumult and wrath in, 
Till in this rapid race, 

In which it is bent, 
It reaches the place 
Of its deep descent. 

Pitch. — Emphatic words and clauses may be ren- 
dered correctly by uttering them in a higher or lower 
pitch than the unemphatic. The higher pitch is used 
when the thought is animated, and the lower when 
the thought is weighty and solemn. 
HIGHER PITCH. 
If you had seen her so fair and young, 
Whose head was happy on this breast ; 

Ring out the old, ring in the new, 
Ring happy bells, across the snow ; 
The 3'ear is going, let him go ; 
Ring out the false, ring in the true ! 

MIDDLE AND LOWER PITCH. 

Read this declaration at the head of the army ; every sword will 
be drawn from its scabbard, and the solemn vow uttered to main- 
tain it, or to perish on the bed of honor. 

Force. — Words and clauses may also be emphasized 
by uttering them with greater or less force. 
GENTLE FORCE. 

How beautiful is night ! 
A dewy freshness fills the silent air ; 
No mist obscures, nor cloud, nor speck, nor stain, 



MODIFICATIONS OF YOICE. 557 

Breaks the serene of heaven ! 
In full-orbed glory yonder moon divine 
Bolls through the dark blue depths ! 

MODERATE FORCE. 

Therefore Jew, 
Though justice be thy plea, consider this — 
That in the course of justice, none of us 
Should see salvation ; we do pray for mercy 
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render 
The deeds of mercy. 

LOUD FORCE. 

There is no retreat but in submission and slavery ! Our chains 
are forged ! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston ! 
The war is inevitable ; and let it come ! I repeat it, sir ; let it 
come! 



t> 



Stress. — Emphasis may be expressed by different 
kinds of stress on the words or clauses ; the kind of 
stress used depending upon the sentiment. 

EADIOAL. 

Up, up for France ! The time is come for France to live or die ! 
median. 

Oh precions hours I Oh golden prime, 
And affluence of love and time ! 

VANISHING. 

But here I stand and scoff you ! here I fling 
Hatred and full defiance in your face ! 

COMPOUND. 

" 'Tis green, 'tis green, sir ; I assure ye ! " " Green," cries the 
other in a fury, ' ' Why, sir, d'ye think I've lost my eyes " ? 

THOKOUGH. 

If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign 
troop was landed in my country I never would lay down my 
arms! — never/ never / never I 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

TBEMOB- 

Oh I have k«t you all ; 

Parents, and homt, and friend* 7 

Pause. — A ward or phrase can be made emphatic 
by a pause. It is long or short according to the sen- 
timent. 
One dead | uniform | silence I reigned j over the whole region. 

Ye know too well 
The story of our thraldom : we are | $lene». 
The bright sun rises to his course, and lights | 
A rmoe of slaw; he sets, and his last beam 
Falls onaci"' 

Quality. — Emphasis may also be given by quality 
of voice. Guttural quality emphasizes the evil pas- 
sions ; aspirate, expresses fear, horror, amazement 
and intense earn 

M.' and quit my si^* .' Let the earth hf'de thee ! 
Thy bones are man 1 is o./ld : 

Thou hast no speculation in those fjc% 
"Which thou dost glare with I 

Words will sometimes be made emphatic when there 
is nothing in the utterance which makes it so, but an 
accompanying gesture gives it intense emphasis. A 
proper use of the various kinds of emphasis is abso- 
lutely necessary to the harmony and interest of 
speech. More than one or all [of these methods of 
emphasis may be used on the same word or clause at 
the same time, but when one or all are to be used de- 
pends upon the sentiment. Only the most significant 
words and phrases are to be emphasized, otherwise 
the effect of emphasis is destroyed. 

RULES FOR EMPHASIS. 

General Buh. — \Vords or phrases introducing spe- 
cial importance, information or peculiarity into the 
general thought are to be emphasized ; those words 



MODIFICATIONS OF VOICE. 559 

which serve to carry on the general thought and ex- 
press what is known or of little value are to be passed 
oyer without emphasis. 

Bide 1. — Exclamations and interjections usually re- 
quire the strongest force of emphasis. 

Awake ! aeise ! aeise or be fobeveb fallen ! 

O Absalom! Absalom ! my son! my son! would God I had died 
for thee. 

Bide 2. — Every sentence has a principal idea, 
the words or clauses expressive of which should be 
distinguished from subordinate and accessory words. 

Heaven and earth will witness, if Rome must fall, that we are 
innocent. 

This state had then not one ship— no, not one wall. 

Bide 3. — In every sentence ail words that express 
ideas or objects new to the context should be distin- 
guished from those previously stated or implied. 

At your age. sir ; home, fortune, friends, 
A dear girl's love, but I took to drink ; 
The same old story ; you know how it ends. 

We are two wanderers, Phillip and I — Philip's my friend. 
Bide 4. — In partial repetition the emphasis should 
be transferred to the new word. 

Farewell remorse, farewell fear, 
Farewell the tranquil mind, farewell content, 
Farewell the plumed troops ! 

Bide 5. — When a succession of particulars have 
something in common they are read as a unit ; when 
they differ they are to be emphasized. 

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the 
temple of the House of God which was at Jerusalem; and the 
king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank in them. 
They drank wine and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of 
brass, of iron, of wood and of stone. 



560 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Rule 6. — All correspondent, and all antithetic or 
contrasted words should have sufficient emphasis to 
distinguish them from the other words in the sen- 
tence. When the comparison or contrast is of equal 
force in its constituent parts, the emphasis is exactly 
balanced in the words to which it is applied ; when 
one of the objects compared or contrasted is of more 
importance than the other, that object has the stronger 
emphasis. 

Custom is the plague of wise men, and the idol of fools. 

The gospel is preached equally to the rich and to the poor. 

Rule 7. — Unemphatic words and clauses, articles, 
conjunctions, prepositions and auxiliary verbs, should 
be delivered with less force than is given to the more 
important words ; namely, nouns, adverbs, verbs and 
adverbs ; but they should be emphasized when they 
express new ideas or contrasts. 

I thought you were for — not against him ? 

I told you to fetch me the box, not a box. 

Rule 8. — All repeated words, phrases or clauses, 
which add nothing to the idea, should not be em- 
phasized. 

O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth ; O God to whom 
vengeance belongeth, show thyself. Lord, how long shall the 
wicked— how long shall the wicked triumph ? 



CHAPTEE XXYII. 



MODULATION, OR MANAGEMENT OF THE VOICE. 

Modulation in its primitive sense is the variation 
of the tone in its ascending and descending pro- 
gression from one note to another ; or, in other words, 
the change of the key. In its general or wider sense, 
it is the adaptation of the voice to suit the sentiment 
of what is uttered. It is the giving to each emotion 
in reading or speaking its appropriate character 
and expression. In its general sense it includes 
the various changes of quality, pitch, force, time, 
stress and inflection ; but in its primitive sense it 
deals with the changes of key or variations in pitch 
of the voice. 

No reader or speaker can hope to be pleasing who 
is unable to change his voice to suit the various 
shades of thought and emotion. A voice which keeps 
long in one key, however correct the pronunciation, 
inflection and emphasis, will soon tire the hearer. 
A correct modulation in its general sense can be ob- 
tained by the study and practice of the exercises 
contained in this book. In its primitive sense the 
modulation of the voice may consist of many keys, 
(561) 



562 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

but in order to facilitate elocutionary training these 
keys may be regarded as five, viz.: the middle or con- 
versational, low and very low, high and very high. 
These are usually represented by letters, M standing 
for middle key, L for low key, H for high, HH for 
very high, and LL for very low. It is important 
that every reader and speaker should have command 
of these keys of the voice ; for any defect in one key 
will show itself in the power and quality of the others. 
Such a command may be obtained by careful training 
and practice of the voice in different keys. Speak- 
ing in the open air or in a large building will be 
found of great service in developing and strengthen- 
ing the keys of the voice, and it is necessary that the 
high as well as the low keys should be cultivated. A 
correct application of the sentiment is necessary to 
a correct appreciation of these keys to the language 
uttered. As the middle key is the voice of ordinary 
conversation it is used in all passages of an unemo- 
tional nature. The high keys are used in the expres- 
sion of light and joyous emotions ; in pity, tendernes, 
and sorrow, and in acute pain, grief, fear, boldness, 
and pride. The low keys are used in grave, serious 
and solemn passages, in solemnity, awe, fear, humil- 
ity and sadness. 

General Rule.— A change of modulation should take 
place at all changes of style in the beginning of a 
paragraph, and on parenthetic sentences and similes, 
and to distinguish the questions and answers, or the 
different speakers in a dialogue. 

Rule 1. — All parenthetic clauses of an important 
nature should be uttered in a lower key, and gener- 
ally in slower time than the rest of the sentence. 

(M.) If there is a power above us, 

(L.) (And that there is, all nature cries aloud 



MANAGEMENT OF THE VOICE. 563 

Through all her works, )(M.) he must delight in virtue ; 
(H.) And that which he delights in must be happy. 
(M.) Woe then apart, (L.) if woe apart can be, 

From mortal man,) (M.) and fortune at our nod. 

The gay, rich, great, triumphant, and august. 

What are they ? The most happy (L.) (strange to say,) 

Convince me most of human misery ! 

(M.) It often happens that those are the best people whose 
characters are most injured by slanderers. 
- (H.) (And who so great or good that slander does not assail ?) 

(M.) As we usually find that to be the sweetest fruit which the 
birds have been picking at. 

(M,) The laws of nature, (L.) (although made for his benefit) 
(M.) are often against him. 

(M.) Their arms away they threw, and to the hills 
(L.) (For earth hath this variety from heaven. 

Of pleasure situate in hill and dale). 
(H.) Light as the lightning glimpse, they ran, they flew. 

R%de 2. — In an interrogative passage when the in- 
terrogation is followed by its answer in a subordinate 
clause, the answer is usually given in a lower key. 

(M.) Say is my kingdom lost? (L.) Why 'twas my care, 
(M.) And what loss is it to be rid of care ? 

Strives "Bolingbrook to be as great as we ; 
(L.) Greater he shall not be ; if he serve God, 

We'll serve him too and be his fellows so. 
(M.) Revolt our subjects? (L.) That we can not mend ; 

They break their faith to God as well as us. 

(M.) What must the king do now ? Must he submit? 
(L.) The king shall do it, (M.) must he be deposed. 
(L.) The king shall be contented, (M) must he lose 
The name of king ? (L.) Why let it go. 

Exception. — When the answer contains new matter 
of special importance to the general meaning, it 
should be read in a higher key and stronger tone. 

(L.) Must we but weep o'er days more blest ? 
(M.) Must we but blush? (II.) Our fathers bled! 



564 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Are they Hebrews? (L.) So am I. 

(H.) Are they Israelites? (L.) So am I. 

(H.) Are they the seed of Abraham ? (L.) So am I. 

(H.) Are they ministers of Christ ? (L . L.) I am more. 

Mule 3. — The antithetic portions of a sentence 
should always be marked by an antithesis of pitch or 
key, and the most important sentences should be 
given in a higher key and louder tone. 

(H.) O happiness (L) our being's end and aim ; 

(H.) Good, pleasure, ease, content, whate'er thy name, 

(M.) That something still which prompts the eternal sigh, 

For which we bear to live, (L) or dare to die, 
(M.) Which still so near us, (L.) yet beyond us lies, 
(H.) O'er looked, seen double (L.) by the fool or wise. 

(M.) Hereafter in that world where all is pure, 

We two may meet before high God, and then 
Wilt spring to me and claim me thine and know 
lam thine husband, (L.) not a smaller soul, 
Nor Lancelot, nor another ? 

For further information in modification we refer 
the reader to the chapter on pitch. 

IMITATIVE MODULATION. 

In language there is an adaptation of the sound to 
the sense, attained by using such words as are 
descriptive of the sound, motion, or passion, and 
which bear some resemblance to the objects de- 
scribed. Certain words have a correspondence in 
sound, length, rapidity of movement, or some other 
peculiarity with the ideas which they represent. 
Words have great power to represent ideas, some 
sound like drums, others call out like a clarion, some 
breathe the sweetest music, while others ring like 
trumpets in our ears. The sound of words imitates 
other sounds, different kinds of motion, and the pas- 
sions of the mind, as the noise of waters, the 



MANAGEMENT OF THE VOICE. 565 

whistling of the winds, the whoop of the Indian, the 
buzz of insects, and the hiss of serpents. In describ- 
ing motions and sounds we say, to glide, to drive, to 
swell, to flow, to skip, to turn, to fly, to whirl, to 
crash, to rattle, to grate, to snap, etc. There is also 
an imitation in the construction of sentences. 
Periodical and swelling sentences are constructed to 
express sublime and swelling thoughts. In poetry 
the melody of the passages suggests their meaning. 
Sweet sounds are imitated by using words which are 
liquid and mellow from the prevalence of the liquid 
sounds of the alphabet in them. Walking, running, 
galloping and other rapid movements are imitated 
by using words composed of short letters and syl- 
lables, and slow movements by using words of long 
syllables. It is very important that these peculiar 
imitations of sound, motion and sense should be ob- 
served by the voice in reading and speaking. This 
observation is called imitative modulation. 

SOUND OF A BOW-STRING. 

The string let fly, 
Twang'd short and sharp, like the shrill swallow's cry. 

REGULAR MOVEMENTS. 

First march the heavy mules securely slow, 

O'er hills, o'er dales, o'er crags, o'er rocks they go. 

FALLING TREES. 
Loud sounds the axe, redoubling strokes on strokes, 
On all sides round the forest hurls her oaks 
Headlong. Deep echoing groan the thickets hewn, 
Then rustling, crackling, crashing, thunder down. 

SURGES. 

As raging seas are wont to roar, 
When wintry storm his wrathful wreck does threat, 
The rolling billows beat the ragged shore. 



566 ELOCUTION AND OltATOKY. 

SLOW MOTION. 
And slowly, slowly, more and more, 
The moony vapor crawling round the king, 
Who seem'd the phantom of a giant in it, 
Enwound him fold by fold and made him grey 
And greyer, till himself became as mist 
Before her, moving ghost-like to his doom. 

QUICK MOTION. 
I sprang to the saddle, and Joris and he; 
I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three. 

A CALM AT SEA. 

Then the shrouds drop, 
The downy feather, on the cordage hung 
Moves not ; the flat sea shines like yellow gold 
Fused in the fire, or like the marble floor 
Of some old temple wide. 

A ROARING WHIRLPOOL. 
Dire Scylla there a scene of horror forms, 
And here Charybdis fills the deep with storms ; 
When the tide rushes from her rumbling caves 
The rough rock roars — tumultuous boil the waves. 

GENTLE MOTION. 

Soft is the strain when zephyrs gently blow, 

And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flow. 

HARSH MOTION. 

But when loud surges lash the sounding shore 

The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar* 

HUM OF INSECTS. 

The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums 
Hath rung night's yawning peal ! 

A DRUM. 

The double, double, double beat 

Of the thundering drum 

Cries, Hark ! the foes come ; 

Charge, charge ! 'tis too late to retreat. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE VOICE. 567 

SOUNDS HEARD IN THE COUNTRY. 

Down the rough slope the ponderous wagon rings : 
Through rustling corn the hare astonished springs ; 
Slow tolls the village clock the drowsy hour ; 
The partridge bursts away on whiring wings. 

HARSH SOUNDS. 
On a sudden open fly, 
With impetuous recoil and jarring sound, 
The infernal doors, and on their hinges grate 
Harsh thunder. 

HARMONIOUS SOUNDS. 

Heaven opened wide 
Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound ; 
On golden hinges turning. 

GENTLE WHISPER OF LEAVES. 
There crept 
A little noiseless noise among the leaves, 
Born of the very sigh that silence heaves. 

LABORIOUS AND IMPETUOUS MOTION. 
With many a weary step and many a groan, 
Up the high hill he heaves a huge round stone ; 
The huge round stone resisting with a bound, 
Thunders impetuous down, and smokes along the ground. 

A SHIPWRECK. 
Her keel hath struck on a hidden rock, 

Her planks are torn asunder, 
And down comes her mast with a reeling shock, 

And a hideous crash like thunder. 

MOVEMENTS OF MONSTERS. 

Part huge of bulk, 
Wallowing unwieldy, enormous in their gait, 
Tempest the ocean. 

RAGING OF THE ELEMENTS. 

Such bursts of horrid thunder, 
Such groans of roaring wind and rain, I never 
Remember to have heard. 



568 ELOCUTION AtfD ORATORY. 

WAR AND PEACE. 

The brazen throat of war had ceased to roar, 
All now was turned to jolity and game. 

RUNNING WATERS. 

Fountains, and ye that warble as ye flow 
Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise I 

A GIANT. 

With sturdy steps came stalking on his sight 
A>hideous giant, horrible and high ! 

MOANING OF THE WIND. 
While a low and melancholy moan 
Mourns for the glory that hath flown. 

THE WITCHES' CALDRON. 

For a charm of powerful trouble 
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble ; 
Double, double, toil and trouble, 
Fire burn and caldron bubble. 

THE UPROAR OF A VAST HOST. 

Arms on armor clashing bray'd 
Horrible discord, and the madding wheels 
Of brazen chariots rag'd ; dire was the noise 
Of conflict • overhead the dismal hiss 
Of fiery darts in flaming volleys flew. 

VOICES OF NATURE. 

Every sound is sweet, 
Myriads of rivulets hurrying through the lawn, 
The moan of doves in im-memorial elms, 
And murmur of innumerable bees. 

NOISES OF BATTLE. 

The shattering trumpet shrilleth high, 
The hard brands shiver on the steel, 

The splintered spear-shafts crack and fly, 
The horse and rider reel — 

They reel, they roll in clanging lists. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE VOICE. 569 

NOISES OF A CITY STREET. 

With never an end to the stream of passing feet — 
Driving, hurrying, marrying, burying, 
Clamor and rumble, and ringing, and clatter. 

NOISE OF A CATARACT. 

Rapid as the light, 
The flashing mass foams, shaking the abyss ; 
The hell of waters ! how they howl and hiss, 
And boil in endless torture ! 

DROWSY NOISES. 

Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight, 
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant fold. 
Now air is hushed, save where the weak-eyed bat, 
With short, shrill shriek, flits by on leathern wing I 

SOUNDS OF A FLOWING BROOK. 

I chatter over stony ways 

In little sharps and trebles ; 
I bubble into eddying bays, 

I babble at the pebbles. 

I chatter, chatter, as I go 

To join the brimming river ; 
For men may come and men may go, 

But I go on forever ! 

NOISE OF A WATERFALL. 

But oft by Kenmour's awful fall we stood, 
More solemn made by Kenmour's gloomy wood, 
Watching the water dash the spray around, 
As oe'r the rocks it fell, roaring headlong down, 
Tumbling the boiling surge, foaming below, 
Raising the bubbles with the sun-lit glow. 
Like thunder pealing from the clouds that lower, 
So strong the torrent and so loud its roar ; 
Or like an avalanche that totters to its fall 
With one tremendous crash, it rends its icy wall ; 
Then thundering down a gaping chasm wide 
Hurls its flowing ice around on every side I / 



570 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

THUNDER. 

The thunder, 
Winged with red lightning and impetuous rage, 
Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now 
To bellow through the vast and boundless deep I 
A STORM. 

'Tis listening fear, and dumb amazement all, 
When to the startled eye, the sudden glance, 
And following slower, in explosion fast 
The thunder raises his tremendous voice, 
At first, heard solemn ; o'er the verge of heaven 
The tempest growls, but as it nearer comes, 
And rolls its awful burden on the wind, 
The lightnings flash a larger curve, and more 
The noise astounds, till over head a sheet 
Of vivid flame discloses wide, then shuts 
And opens wider ; shuts and opens still 
Expansive, deep'ning, mingling, peal on peal 
Crashes horrible, convulsing heaven and earth. 



CHAPTEK XXVIII. 



VOICE AND PASSION TKANSITIONS. 

Transition occurs wherever there is a change in 
the sentiment, or to introduce a parenthetical clause 
or idea. The voice changes in pitch, stress, time, 
force, inflection, quality, etc., to express a change in 
the emotion or passion, and these changes are called 
transitions, but the method of making them properly 
is called modulation. The best tone if continued 
long will become tedious ; hence the necessity for 
frequent changes. Such modifications of voice are 
also necessary to express corresponding changes in 
the sentiment. The transitions should be made 
gradually, unless sudden and abrupt changes are 
necessary to express corresponding transitions of 
passion. 
(Soft, with cadence) : 

Soft, as the slumber of a saint forgiven, 
And mild as opening beams of promised heaven ! 
(Loud) : 

The combat deepens. On ye brave, 
Who rush to glory or the grave I 
(571) 



572 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

Wave, Munich I all thy banners wave, 
And charge with all thy chivalry ! 

(Pure tone, effusive utterance) : 

And while the shadowy veil of night 

Sleeps on the mountain side, 
And brilliants of unfathomed light 

Be-gem the concave wide, 
There is a spell, a power of harmonious love 
That is beckoning me to the realms above 

(Aspirate tone, with effusive utterance) : 

How beautiful this night ! the balmiest sigh, 
Which vernal zephyrs breathe in evening's ear 
Were discord to the speaking quietude 
That wraps this moveless scene. 

(Pectoral, with slow time and prevalence of monotone) : 

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep f alleth 
on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my 
bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my 
flesh stood up ; it stood still, but I could not discern the form 
there-of, an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I 
heard a voice saying, "Shall mortal man be more just than God ? 
Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? " 
(Loud and quick) : 

Hark to that roar, whose swift and deafening peals 

Jin countless echoes through the mountains ring, 
Startling pale midnight on her starry throne ; 

Now swells the intermingling din ; the jar, 

Frequent and frightful, of the bursting bomb, 
(Louder) : 

The falling beam, the shriek, the groan, the shout, 

The ceaseless clangor and the rush of men 
(Very loud) : 

Inebriate with rage ; loud and more loud 

The discord grows, till pale death shuts the scene, 
(Lower and slower) : 

And o'er the conqueror and the conquered draws 
(Deep aspirate) ; 

His cold and bloody shroud. 



VOICE AND PASSION TRANSITIONS. 573 

(Middle pitch) : 

Full many a gem of purest ray serene 

The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear ; 
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen 

And waste its sweetness on the desert air. 

(Ascending and descending in scale, and quick time at the close) : 
How now, spirit, whither wander you ? 
Over hill, over dale, thro' bush, thro' brier, 
Over park, over pale, thro' flood, thro' fire. 
I do wander everywhere 
Swifter than the moon's sphere. 

(Very low, aspirated at times and plaintive at the close) : 
All is deep silence, like the fearful calm 
That slumbers in the storm's portentous pause, 
Save when the frantic wail of widowed love 
Comes shuddering on the blast, or the faint moan 
With which some soul bursts from the frame of clay 
Wrapt round its struggling powers. 

(Pure tone, sweet, clear and musical. Moderate time and imitat- 
ing the sound of bells): 

When klingle, klangle, klingle, 

Far down the dusty dingle, 

The cows are coming home ; 

Now sweet and clear, now faint and low, 

The airy tinklings come and go 

Like chimings from the far off tower, 

Or patterings of an April shower 

That make the daisies grow. 
(Clear and mellow) : 

Ko-ling, ko-lang, kolingle-lingle, 

Far down the darkening dingle, 

The cows come slowly home. 
(Voice growing fainter) : 

The sound at length became fainter, fainter, fainter, until it was 
lost in the distance. 

(Orotund) ; 

Her giant form 
O'er wrathful surge, through blackening storm, 
Majestically calm, would go 
'Mid the deep darkness, white as snow ! 



574 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

(Pure tone) : 

But gentler now the small waves glide 
Like playful lambs o'er a mountain's side, 
(Orotund) : 

So stately her bearing, so proud her array, 
The main she will traverse forever and aye, 
Many ports will exult at the gleam of her mast ; 
(Aspirated) : 

Hush ! hush ! thou vain dreamer ! this hour is her last I 
(Slow) : 

When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, 
The line too, labors and the words move slow ; 
(Quick) : 

Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain, 
Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main. 
(Very soft) : 

Heard ye the whisper of the breeze, 

As soft it murmured by 
Amid the shadowy forest trees, 

It tells with meaning sigh 
Of the bowers of bliss on that viewless shore, 
Where the weary spirit shall sin no more. 
(Very slow) : 

Night gathers slowly around me, the long night of darkness and 
death. Within mine eye the light of life is fading as the day is 
slowly melting from the darkening sky. 
(Low Orotund) : 

Oh, deep enchanting prelude to repose, 
The dawn of bliss, the twilight of our woes ! 
Yet half I hear the panting spirit sigh, 
(Very low) : 

It is a dread and awful thing to die ! 
(Solemn) : 

Mysterious worlds, untravelled by the sun, 
Where Time's far wandering tide has never run, 
From your unfathomed shades and viewless spheres 
A warning comes, unheard by other ears. 

(Loud Orotund) : 

'Tis Heaven's commanding trumpet, long and loud, 
Like Sinai's thunder, pealing from the cloud ! 



VOICE AND PASSION TKANSITIONS. 575 

While Nature hears with terror-mingled trust 
The shock that hurls her fabric to the dust : 

(Tremor) : 

And like the trembling Hebrew, when he trod 
The roaring waves, and called upon his God, 
With mortal terrors clouds immortal bliss, 
And shrieks, and hovers o'er the dark abyss ! 

(Subdued): 

Rise ! rise ! ye wild tempests, and cover his flight ! 
'Tis finished. Their thunders are hushed on the moors, 
Culloden is lost, and my country deplores! 

(Pure Tone) : 

A thousand hearts beat happily, and when 

Music arose with its voluptuous swell, 
Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again, 

And all went merry as a marriage bell. 

(Aspirated) : 

But hush ! hark ! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell! 
(Gradually louder) : 

Ever, as on they bore, more loud, 

And louder rang the pibroch proud. 

At first the sound by distance tame, 
(Gradually softer) : 

Mellowed, along the waters came ; 

And lingering long by cape and bay 

Wailed every harsher note away ; 



(Loud) : 



(Soft) : 



When bursting bolder on the ear, 
The clan's shrill gathering they could hear— 
Those thrilling sounds, that call the might 
Of old Clan-Alpine to the fight ! 



Ah ! few shall part where many meet, 
The snow shall be their winding-sheet, 
And every turf beneath their feet 
Shall be a soldier's sepulchre. 
(High and quick) : 

Quick brightening like lightning — it tore me along, 
Down, down, till the gush of a torrent, at play 






576 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

In the rocks of its wilderness, caught me — and strong 
As the wings of an eagle, it whirled me away ! 

(Aspirated) : 

Hush ! hark ! did stealing steps go by ? 
Came not faint whispers near ? 

(Pure tone) : 

No ! — the wild wind hath many a sigh 
Amid the foliage sere. 

(Low and mournful) : 

With fruitless labor, Clara bound 
And strove to stanch the gushing wound. 
The monk, with unavailing cares, 
Exhausted all the church's prayers ; 

(Very deep) : 

Ever, he said, that close and near, 
A lady's voice was in his ear. 
And that the priest he could not hear, 
For that she ever sung. 

(High but soft -like chant) : 

In the lost battle, borne down by the flying, 

Where mingles war's rattle with groans of the dying ! 

(Middle pitch) : 

So the notes rung. 

(Deep Orotund) : 

Avoid thee, fiend! — with cruel hand 
Shake not the dying- sinner's sand ! 

(Higher) : 

Oh look, my son, upon yon sign 
Of the Redeemer's grace Divine ! — 
Oh, think on faith and bliss ! 

(Lower, with tremor) : 

By many a death-bed I have been, 
And many a sinner's parting seen, 
But never aught like this ! 



(Louder) : 
(Higher) : 



The war that for a space did fail 

Now trebly thundering swelled the gale, 
And StanUy .' was the cry ; 






VOICE AND PASSION TRANSITIONS. 577 

(Quicker) : 

A light on Marmion's visage spread, 

And fired his glazing eye ; 
With dying hand, above his head 
He shook the fragment of his blade, 
And shouted " Victory" ! 
(High, with thorough stress with low gasp at the end) : 
Charge, Chester, charge ! On Stanley, on ! 
(Middle pitch) : 

Were the last words of Marmion. 
(Gradually softer) : 

How soft the music of those village bells 
Falling at intervals upon the ear 
In cadence sweet ! now dying all away, 
(Gradually louder) : 

Now pealing loud again, and louder still, 
Clear and sonorous as the gale comes on. 

(Orotund) : 

The troops, exulting, sat in order round, 

And beaming fires illumin'd all the ground 
(Soft Orotund) : 

As when the moon — refulgent lamp of night 

O'er heaven's clear azure spreads her sacred light, 
(Soft aspirate) : 

When not a breath disturbs the deep serene, 

And not a cloud o'ercasts the solemn scene. 
(Orotund) : 

Around her throne the vivid planets roll, 
(Soft): 

And stars unnumber'd gild the glowing pole ; 
(Low) : 

O'er the dark trees a yellower verdure shed, 
(Mellow) : 

And tipped with silver every mountain's head ; 
(Pure tone) : 

They shine the vales, the rocks in prospect rise, 

A flood of glory bursts from all the skies. 
(Middle pitch) : 

The conscious swains, rejoicing in the sight, 

Eye the blue vault and bless the useful light. 



678 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

(Orotund) : 

So, many flames before proud Ilion blaze, 

And lighten glimmering Xanthus with their rays. 
(Orotund, with tremor) : 

The long reflections of the distant fires 

Gleam on the walls, and tremble on the spires. 
(Low, with pectoral) : 

A thousand piles the dusky horrors gild, 

And shoot a shady lustre o'er the field. 
(Orotund) : 

Full fifty guards each flaming pile attend, 

Whose umber' d arms, by fits, thick flashes send. 
(Loud) : 

Loud neigh the coursers o'er the heaps of corn ; 

And ardent warriors wait the rising morn. 

TRANSITION IN THE PASSIONS. 

(Pity with regret) : 

Alas ! poor Yorick ! I knew him, Horatio : a fellow of infinite 
jest, of most excellent fancy ; he hath borne me on his back a 
thousand times, and now how abhored in my imagination it is ; 
my gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I 
know not how oft. Where be your gibes ? your gambols ? your 
songs ? your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table 
in a roar ? Not one now to mock your own grinning ! Quite 
chop-fallen ? Now, get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her ; 
let her paint an inch thick. To this favor she must come ; make 
her laugh at that. 

TRANQUILITY AND REPOSE. 

Oh ! that this lovely vale were mine ; 

Then from glad youth to calm decline,' 

My years would gently glide ; 

Hope would rejoice in endless dreams, 

And memory's oft-returning gleams 

By peace be sanctified ! 

PENITENCE. 

Have mercy upon me, Oh God, after Thy great goodness, accord. 

ing to the multitude of Thy mercies do away with my offences. 

Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from 

my sin. I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. 



VOICE AND PASSION TRANSITIONS. 579 

Against Thee only have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight. 
Turn Thy face from my sins, and blot out all my misdeeds. Make 
me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me. 

SOLEMNITY. 

This is the place — the centre of the grove ; 
Here stands the oak, the monarch of the wood ; 
How sweet and solemn is this midnight scene ! 
The silver moon unclouded holds her way 
Through skies where I could count each little star ; 
The fanning west-wind scarcely stirs the leaves ; 
The river, rushing o'er its pebbled bed 
Imposes silence with a stilly sound. 
In such a place as this, at such an hour, — 
If ancestry can be in aught believed — 
Descending spirits have conversed with man, 
And told the secrets of the world unknown. 

SUBLIMITY. 

O thou that rollest above, round as the shield of my fathers j 
Whence are thy beams, O sun ? thy everlasting light ? Thou 
comest forth in thy awful beauty ; the stars hide themselves in the 
sky ; the moon, cold and pale, sinks in the western wave ; but 
thou thyself movest alone. Who can be a companion of thy 
course ? The oaks of the mountains fall ; the mountains them- 
selves decay with years ; the ocean shrinks and grows again ; the 
moon herself is lost in heaven ; but thou art forever the same, re- 
joicing in the brightness of thy course ! 

REMORSE. 

O cursed slave ! Whip me, ye devils, 
From the possession of this heavenly sight ! 
Blow me about in winds — roast me in sulphur — 
Wash me in steep down gulfs of liquid Are ! 
O Desdemona ! Desdemona ! Dead ! 
Dead! O! O! O! 

VIVACITY. 

When over the hills like a gladsome bride, 
Morning walks forth in her beauty's pride, 
And leading a band of laughing hours, 
Brushes the dew from the nodding flowers. 



580 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



Oh, cheerily then my voice is heard 
Mingling with that of the soaring bird, 
Who flingeth abroad his matins loud, 
As he freshens his wing in the cold gray cloud. 
FRENZY. 

Mad frenzy fires him now ! 
He plants against the wall his feet — his chain 
Grasps— tugs with giant strength to force away 
The deep-driven staple— yells and shrieks with rage, 
And, like a desert lion in the snare, 
Raging to break his toils — to and fro bounds. 

PATHOS. 

Alas ! what need you be so boisterous rough ? 

I will not struggle, — I will stand stone-still. 

For Heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound 1 

Nay, hear me, Hubert ! drive these men away, 

And I will sit as quiet as a lamb : 

I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word, 

Nor look upon the irons angrily. 

Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, 

Whatever torment you do put me to ! 

ASTONISHMENT AND HORROR. 
Oh ! horror ! horror ! horror ! — Tongue nor heart 
Cannot conceive, nor name thee ! 

Confusion now hath made his masterpiece ! 
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope 
The Lord's anointed temple, and stole thence 
The life o' the building. 

Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight 

With a new Gorgon. 

MALIGN AND MARTIAL. 
Glen. Oft has th' unconquer'd Caledonian sword 
Widow' d the North. The children of the slain 
Come, as I hope, to meet their father's fate. 
The monster war, with her infernal brood, 
Loud yelling fury, and life-ending pain 
Are objects suited to Glenalvon's soul. 
Scorn is more grievous than the pains of death : 
Reproach more piercing than the pointed sword. 



YOICE AND PASSION TEANSITIONS. 581 

COMPASSION. 

Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. 
Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile, 
And touch thy instrument a strain or two ? 
I trouble thee too much ; but thou art willing. 
I should not urge thy duty past thy might, 
I know young bloods lack for a time of rest, 
I will not hold thee long : if I do live, 
I will be good to thee. [Lucius plays and sings.'] 

This is a sleepy tune : — O murderous Slumber! 
Lay' st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy 
That plays thee music ? — Gentle knave, good night I 
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee. 
If thou dost nod, thou break' st thy instrument : 
I'll take it from thee ; and, good boy, good night ! 

CHEERFULNESS. 

Now my co-mates, and brothers in exile, 

Hath not old custom made this life more sweet ? 

Than that of painted pomp ? 

Alarm : Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho ! 

Give me a taper ! call up all my people ! 

This accident is not unlike my dream ; 

Belief of it oppresses me already. 

Light, I say, light ! 

FRIENDSHIP. 

That I did love thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true ; 

If then thy spirit look upon us now ? 

Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death, 

To see thy Antony making his peace, 

Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes, 

Most noble ! in the presence of thy corse ? 

Had I as many eyes as thou hast wounds, 

Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood, 

It would become me better than to close 

In terms of friendship with thine enemies. 

Pardon me, Julius ! Here wast thou bay'd brave hart; 

Here didst thou fall ; and here thy hunters stand 

Sign'd in thy spoil, and crimson'd in thy lethe, 

O world, thou wast the forest to this hart : 


















582 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee. 
How like a deer, striken by many princes, 
Dost thou lie here ! 

HUMANITY. 

Pris. The needy man, who has known better days, 
One whom distress has spited at the world, 
Is he whom tempting fiends would pitch upon 
To do such deeds, as make the prosperous men 
Lift up their hands and wonder who could do them. 
And such a man was I ; a man declin'd, 
Who saw no end of black adversity : 
Yet, for the wealth of kingdoms, I would not 
Have touch'd that infant with a hand of harm. 

TERROR. 

The fox fled in terror ; the eagle awoke, 
As slumbering he dozed in the shelve of the rock; 
Astonished, to hide in the moonbeam he flew, 
And screwed the night-heaven, till lost in the blue ! 

COURAGE. 

K. Rich. A horse ! a horse ! my kingdom for a horse I 
Cate. Withdraw, my lord ; I'll help you to a horse. 
K. Rich. Slave, I have set my life upon a cast, 

And I will stand the hazard of the die ; 

I think there be six Richmonds in the field ; 

Five have I slain to-day instead of him. 

A horse ! a horse ! my kingdom for a horse I 

SPIRITUALITY. 

Ham. How is it with you, lady ? 

Queen. Alas, how is't with you, 
That you do bend your eye on vacancy 
And with the incorporeal air do hold discourse ? 
Forth at your eyes your spirits wildly peep ; 
And, as the sleeping soldiers in the alarm, 
Your bedded hair, like life in excrements, 
Starts up, and stands on end. O gentle son, 
Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper 
Sprinkle cool patience. Whereon do you look ? 

Ham. On him, on him ! Look you, how pale he glares! 



VOICE AND PASSION TRANSITIONS. 683 

His form and cause conjoin' d. preaching to stones 

Would make them capable. Do not look upon me ; 

Lest with this piteous action you convert 

My stern effects : then what I have to do 

Will want true color ; tears perchance for blood. 

MANHOOD. 

Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all : 
All the conspirators save only he 
Did that they did, in envy of great Caesar ; 
He only, in a general honest thought 
And common good to all, made one of them. 
His life was gentle, and the elements 
So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up 
And say to all the world, " This was a man !" 

LOVE. 

My story being done, 
She gave me for my pains a world of sighs : 
She swore, in faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange, 
'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful : 
She wish'd she had not heard it, yet she wish'd 
That heaven had made her such a man : she thanked ni3, 
And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her, 
I should but teach him how to tell my story 
And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake ; 
She loved me for the dangers I had pass'd, 
And I loved her that she did pity them. 
This only is the, witchcraft I have used : 
Here comes the lady : let her witness it. 







CHAPTEK XXIX. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF GESTURES — THE CROWNING ELE- 
MENTS OF POWER. 



Gesture is the method of expressing the mental 
states, by means of different movements of the body. 
It includes all the significant motions of the trunk 
and its members — the head and countenance, the 
hands, the arms and the feet. 

Gesture is the final and crowning element of power 
in delivery, and should be mastered by all those who 
wish to be effective speakers or orators. It is the 
language of nature and can be understood by all, 
irrespective of the words of the speaker. All nations 
use it ; among the lowest specimens of humanity it is 
the principal means of communication. Even brutes 
devoid of speech express anger, pleasure and love in 
their eyes, and by movements of the body. By means 
of gesture the speaker can express his sentiments to 
the eye at the same time that he expresses them to 
the ear by his voice. In the art of pantomine, we see 
to what an extent gesture can be carried, the interest 
and meaning of the performance is due to the actions 
(584) 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 585 

of those who take part in it. Gesture is expres- 
sive of emotion and passion, rather than thought ; 
hence emotion is the immediate cause of gesture. If 
the emotions of man were alive and active, and the 
movements of his body prompted by these emotions 
were made free and untrammeled, without the arti- 
ficiality, awkwardness, or restraint put upon him by 
civilization or society, there would be no need for in- 
struction in gesture. But since the grace and ease of 
nature is lost in many cases, by a combination of cir- 
cumstances it is necessary to study gesture, so as to 
regain the true and natural method of expression by it. 
The first thing to be obtained is a graceful and easy 
carriage of the body ; some have this naturally and so 
require only to preserve it. For both of these purposes 
light gymnastic exercises are excellent. The exercise 
of walking frequently, with a proper and easy car- 
riage of the body is one of the very best means for 
this purpose. In walking the body should be kept 
erect, the chest expanded, the head erect and evenly 
balanced, but without stiffness. The chin should 
point straight outwards, not raised too high or allowed 
to drop too low. The eyes should take notice of the 
scenes around, and what is going on both in front and 
on each side, and what is away in the distance. In 
doing this the head will move gradually and almost 
unconsciously from side to side, the muscles which 
move the head will be rendered supple and easy, pro- 
vided the student is careful to avoid awkwardness as 
much as possible. At first this may be difficult, but 
in time the difficulty will vanish and the head will 
move in a natural way, as also the whole body. The 
arms and hands should be allowed to hang naturally, 
with the easy swinging motion peculiar to walking. 
See how stiffly and unnaturally the body is carried by 



586 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

some while the arms seem to have little or no motion. 
The step should be brisk, but not too long as that 
has a tendency to throw the body off its equilibrium, 
if too short it gives the impression that one is afraid 
to lift his feet ; a short mincing step is generally evi- 
dence of a small mind. The study and practice of 
dancing is very useful in obtaining a perfect carriage 
of body. To obtain an easy control of the various 
parts of the body, practice the following exercises. 

For the Head. — Stand perfectly erect with the chest 
expanded, shoulders drawn back, knees straight, the 
body resting easily upon the feet, which should be 
close together, but toes slightly outward forming an 
angle of sixty degrees. Bend the head gently for- 
ward and downward till it forms an angle of forty- 
five degrees with the trunk. Keturn it slowly to its 
original position. Bend the head to the right and 
downward till an angle of forty-five degrees is formed. 
Return it to the original position. Bend the head in 
the same way to the left and return to original posi- 
tion. Bend the head backward in the same way till 
an angle of forty-five degrees is formed with the trunk, 
and return to original position. Bend the head for- 
ward and downward as in the first place, then with- 
out raising the head turn it slowly round toward the 
left shoulder, then still round toward the back in the 
same position, and from that point to the right 
shoulder, and then in the same way till the head 
is again directly in front. The head in going through 
these latter movements will describe a circle. Return 
to the original and natural position. 

For the Arms. — Extend the arms forward horizon- 
tally, the middle fingers touching at the points, the arms 
slightly curved. Swing the arms directly backward 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 58? 

till the back of the hands touch each other behind 
the back, if possible. 

2. Extend the arms forward as before, but raise 
them upward till they form an angle of forty-five 
degrees from the level of the shoulders. Raise them 
from this position till they are directly above the head 
forming a vertical line. Carry the arms as far back 
as possible, the fingers still touching each other. 

3. Touch the shoulders gently with the tips of the 
fingers, bring the elbows forward in front ; let the 
arms fall quickly from that position till they hang 
naturally by the side. Repeat the same movements, 
but with the elbows straight out from the side. 

4. Swing the arms freely in all directions from the 
shoulder blades, at the same time swinging the fore- 
arm from the elbows. Do the same with the fore- 
arms alone from the shoulder joints. 

For the Hands and Fingers. — Dangle the hands 
freely at the same time moving the fingers at the joints. 
Work the fingers freely to free them from stiffness, 
and open and shut the hands. 

For the Body. — Bend the trunk slowly forward at 
the hip joints, the knees remaining fixed. Return to 
natural position. Repeat the same movement to the 
the right and to the left, also backwards. Turn the 
trunk to the right keeping the legs straight and the 
feet firm; return to position. Repeat the same move- 
ment to the left. Rise gently on the toes, by exten- 
sion of the instep. 

GESTURE MAY BE GROUPED UNDER SEVEN HEADS. 

I. Referential and Discriminative. II. Descriptive. 
III. Assertive. IV. Impassioned. V. Significant, 
YI. Figurative or Analogical. VII. Imitative. 

Referential are those which call attention to what 












588 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

is actually present, or to the direction or position of 
what is refered to. To anything which is conceived 
as happening or about to happen. It is also used for 
pointing out anything, or for discriminating between 
objects. These sometimes employ the index finger 
as " Behold the man." 

Descriptive are those in which the objects are des- 
cribed and numbers and space represented. 

Assertive are those which are employed, not for 
designation or description, but for mere assertion^ 
and may be either emphatic or un-emphatic ; as, " The 
men must retreat." 

Impassioned are those which spring from the pas- 
sion, and should be the effect of the natural impulse, 
but by assuming these gestures the impulse may be 
caused or stimulated. 

Significant are those having a significant meaning^ 
as placing the hand on the head to indicate distress 
or head-ache. Placing the finger on the lips to en- 
join silence, throwing up the hands in surprise, or 
reaching forward in supplication, clasping them in 
entreaty, nodding the head in assent, holding it 
up in pride and dropping it in shame ; and other 
motions of the body and its members to express 
various emotions. 

Figurative are based upon the analogy between 
physical and intellectual or moral conditions. They 
have to do with the expression of ideas by means of 
visible signs. In these the same movement may pre- 
sent a visible object, and a mental conception. 

Imitative are those used in imitating anything de- 
scribed or spoken of. They are used mainly in descrip- 
tions of a comic nature, but may be sometimes used 
with effect in descriptions of a serious kind. 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 589 

QUALITIES OF GOOD GESTURES— MAGNIFICENCE, 
BOLDNESS, ENERGY, VARIETY, SIMPLICITY, GRACE, 
PROPRIETY, PRECISION. 

Magnificence is that characteristic imparted to 
gesture when the hand and arm moves through ample 
space. The head moves freely the body bends in a 
manly and dignified way while the feet move with , 
firmness and force. All short and constrained ges- 
tures with stiffness of the body, doubtful or timid 
movements, should be avoided unless when needed 
for effect. Boldness is that courage and self-cenfi- 
dence which ventures to hazard any action productive 
of a grand or striking effect. Gestures of this sort 
surprise by their novelty and grace, and the unex- 
pected positions, elevations and transitions, which 
enforce the ideas to be conveyed. 

Energy is the firmness and decision of the whole 
action, and the support which the voice receives 
from the precision of the gesture. Variety is the 
ability to readily adapt suitable gestures to each 
sentiment, and at the same time avoid using the 
same gestures too frequently. Simplicity is the 
using of such gestures as are the natural result of the 
situation and sentiments, and not going beyond what 
is warranted by the feeling, nor falling short of it. 

Grace is a result of the combination of all the other 
perfections, and consists in the facility, freedom, and 
simplicity of the action. Propriety is the judicious 
selection of such movements as are best suited to 
the sentiment. 

Precision consists in a proper preparation, due 
force, and a correct timing of the action to the senti- 
ments expressed and the words uttered. The best 
position for a speaker to assume for ease, grace and 



590 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



freedom of action is one in which the weight of the 
body is poised on the ball of one foot, while the other 
is slightly in advance or behind it, and in all changes 
of position that foot should be moved first which 
does not support the weight of the body. There are 
four modifications of this position which include all 
the positions suited to the ordinary purposes of pub- 
lic speaking. First Position. — Body erect, facing the 
audience, chest expanded, shoulders level and square, 
not drawn up, arms hanging easy and naturally, head 
evenly balanced. The feet near together, not too 
near*; toes outward, right foot advanced about three 





Fig. 1. 



Fig. 2. 



inches resting lightly, and just a little bent ; weight 
of the body resting on the left leg which should be 
perfectly straight. Second position. — Eight foot ad- 
vanced, supporting the body. Third position. — Left 
foot advanced, the right supporting the body. This 
is the same as the first position, except that the left 
and right feet exchange places. Fourth position. — 
Left foot advanced supporting the body. From these 
positions others can easily be taken while speaking. 
Fig. 1. represents the first position, the body rest- 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 591 

ing on the foot which is deeply shaded. Fig. 2. 
represents the second position, and the change is 
made by stepping forward with the right foot, abont 
half its length, and throwing the principal weight of 
the body upon it. Tha third and fourth positions are 
the reverse of these. In earnest appeal, bold asser- 
tion, and impassioned speech the speaker will take 
one of the advanced positions. In calm discourse, 
and also in firmness and resistance he will take one 
of the retired positions. Changes of positions should 
be made easily and almost imperceptibly, while 
speaking, and not so frequently that the attention of the 
audience is drawn to them. The changes should be 
made by taking one step forward or backward, and 
throwing the weight of the body upon the foot which 
has been resting, or the change may be made by 
lifting the heels slightly, and turning on the balls of 
the feet. The speaker should be careful not to allow 
his feet to cross each other in changing his position 
or crossing the stage ; the motions of the feet in such 
cases should be made in diagonal lines. 

THE HAND AND ARM. 

The movements of the arms in gesture convey the 
hands from one position to another — downward, up- 
ward, or round about the body to represent what is 
really or imaginary, under, above or round about 
the speaker. In making these movements all the 
joints of the arm and hand, the shoulder, elbow, 
wrist, and fingers should move with the hand. The 
right hand should be used more frequently than the 
left ; gestures with both hands are only to be made 
when absolutely necessary. Gestures should accom- 
pany the words that precede or follow them. Tho 
emphatic stroke of the gesture takes place on the em- 



ELOCUTION AND O&ATOUY. 

phatic or accented syllable, word, or clause. In 
making the gesture there its a preparatory movement 
which is the moving of the hand and arm from the 
normal position to tha: point from which the gesture 
is made, or fi*om the position of one gesture to that 
of another. There is also the return movement which 
is the relaxation of the muscles so as to allow the 
hand, after a gesture, or - - of gestures to fall 
naturally and easily to the Bide. These movements 
should be made as graceful ;i " possible, and generally 
in curves. When a gesture i^ finished the hand should 
return to its natural position and not be kept sus- 
pended or moving about, and while a gesture is being 
made with one arm the other should hang naturally 
at the side with the elbow just slightly bent to give 
it life, and the upper pail of the arm should not be in 
contact with the side. In making gestures the posi- 
tion of the hand is very expressive, thus the supine 
hand or open gesture expresses an open mind, gives 
the impression of clearing up or explaining some- 
thing to the audience ; it also represents receiving 
or giving anything conceived of as plain' or open to 
thought, or as un-limited. un-circumscribed or free. 
The prone hand signifies the covering of anything, or 
one thing above another, the closing of the mind to 
outside influence, pushing down or warding off and 
repressing. The vertical hand represents driving 
away, as repeling anything, and is especially used 
in warding off some horrible sight. 

EIGHT HAND SUPINE 0E OPEN. 

This is called the supine or open gesture, because 
that besides opening up the meaning, the hand itself 
is open. The fingers move so as to open up the 
palm to the audience. The hand is held toward the 



>z-T~r:E is- E~?:.z-::r. 






andience or the place to which the gesture refers with 
the palni upwards, but not wholly upwards as it slopes 
from the thumb, about thirty legrees. The fore- 
finger is straight the others slightly relaxed, but the 
middle hngers closer together than the other. 
This gesture maybe made in various directions 
around the body, by :_c right hand alone, or by the 




Fig. 1. 
left hand alone, or by both combined, but it is t : be 
remembered that in all srestures the left hand is :- 




Ete. 2. 

cessory to the right, in combination with it, 
and is only used separately :: relieve the right 




Pig. 3. 

a number of gestures have been made 

»ameness or 



when 

with the right, so as to prevent 









594 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

monotony, and in other cases when absolutely neces- 
sary from reference being made to the left of the 
speaker. The gesture is most graceful with the right 
hand and arm when the left foot is in advance, and 
with the left when the right foot is in advance. When 
the gestures are made in such positions the body is 
kept square to the audience. All gestures should be 
closed with a motion from the wrist. This move- 
ment should take place on the emphatic word or 
clause. As the shoulder-joint is the centre of motion, 
the arm moves first and the hand naturally follows 
after, so that the finger may be said to point in an 
opposite direction from that in which the arm is 
moving, this naturally causes the movement of the 
hand at the wrist which comes last and closes the 
gesture. In making gestures with the hands and 
arms either arm may move with grace to the extent 
of half a circle vertically or horizontally. If we sup- 
pose the hand to move from the head downward or 
vertically using the shoulder as fhe centre of motion, 
it will describe a circle. "When it moves directly in 
front we call it the front, when directly to the side 
we call it the lateral or side, when midway between 
these it is called the oblique, and when further back 
than the side, the lateral-oblique or oblique back- 
wards. The hand in making gestures moves 
mainly on these lines, but it does not in all cases 
start from the head. It may start at any point on the 
curve according to the nature or sentiment, or it may 
proceed by transition from another gesture. The 
hand may descend, ascend, or remain stationary on 
these lines, and the gesture takes its name from these 
positions or directions. In addition to these curves 
the hand by moving horizontally across the body 
may describe other circles. If the curve formed in 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 



595 



this way is on a line with the breast we call it simply- 
horizontal, if a little above the head it is the upper or 
ascending, if below the breast on a level with the 
hinch, it is the lower or descending horizontal. By 
reference to these lines nearly all gestures can be 
named and indicated. (See Figure.) 




The various curves are repr esented in this figure. 

F. represents the front curve of gesture. 

O. represents the oblique curve of gesture. 

L. represents the lateral curve of gesture. 

O. B. is the oblique backward curve of gesture. 

H. represents the horizontal curve of gesture, 

A. H. is the upper or ascending horizontal. 

D. H. is the lower or descending horizontal. 

Using the names which Ave obtain by this notation 
we can now arrange the gestures into a few great 



596 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

classes, and understand in what cases they are used, 
and by careful thought and attention to this arrange- 
ment there is no reason why a student can not become 
thoroughly conversant with the proper use of ges- 
ture. Gestures made with the right hand descending 
front supine or open are used in particular assertions, 
questions, demands, and resolves or determinations 
when emphatic or imperative. They are also used in 
concession, submission and humility. 

It must be so, Plato ; thou reasonest well. 

I will maintain this assertion to the last hour of my life. 

I demand the cause of all this excitement. 

But why should there be this feeling ? 

I admit the justice of your plea. 

I agree to this. 

I acknowledge my transgressions. 

The right hand descending supine or open on the 
oblique is used in contrasts or to mark words which 
are opposed to or compared with each other. It is 
used also in emphatic general assertions, in consum- 
mation and finality, and also to enforce the predom- 
inent idea, and in general concessions, submission 
and humility. 

This statement is false beyond the shadow of a doubt. 
What I have done, ye never can undo. 
I acknowledge all these points. 

The right hand descending lateral supine or open 
is used in negation or denial, concession, relinquish- 
ment, withdrawal, privation, destitution, decrease^ 
nonentity, refusal, rejection, emphatic removal and 
also in extreme humility, submission, and condescen- 
sion, and in abasement, hopelessness, extremity, 
scorn, derision, mockery, detestation, and contempt. 

Each day they grew less and less. 
Away with such a foolish notion. 



GESTUKE IN EXPRESSION. 597 

Surely this is not the conduct of a man. 
It is useless to try and make it better. 

The right hand descending supine or open oblique 
backwards, is used in emphatic and vehement rejec- 
tion, and sometimes in strong negation. 

Away with such a notion so abhorrent to us all. 

There is nothing but war in the land where they go. 

The right hand horizontal front supine open is 
used in direct personal address, challenge, command, 
exhortation, appeal, interrogation, presentation, im- 
pulsion, boldness, integrity, directness, forward mo- 
tion, and futurity. 

I appeal to you sir, for permission. 

Stand for your country, and your country's gods. 

Truth urges you onward to your duty. 

The right hand horizontal oblique supine or 
open is used in general address or reference as dis- 
tinguished from the particular in antithesis or com- 
parison, hypothetical clauses, suspension of thought, 
and in unemphatic general assertion, or expression 
of general thought. 

Friends ! Komans ! countrymen ! lend me your ears ! 

The men are here, why should we wait? 

Nations grow mighty only to fall again. 

The right hand horizontal lateral supine is used in 
descriptive reference, disclosing, revealing, showing 
in reference to distance in time and space in remorse, 
withdrawal, transition, remission, disregard, humor, 
derision, ridicule, mockery, irony, and sarcasm when 
unemphatic. When they are emphatic they take the 
descending line ; this gesture is a sort of wave. 

The days, the years, the hours are rolling by. 
The fashion of this world passeth away. 
Courageous chief ! The first in flight from pain ! 

The right hand horizontal oblique backwards su- 






598 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

pine or open is used in remote references to time and 
space, retrogression, etc. 

In the remote past, there is no parallel to this. 

Back, back he turned, and left them all behind. 
The right hand ascending front supine, is used in 
physical, intellectual or moral elevation, sacredness, 
sacred address, reference to God, futurity, sublimity, 
sublime apostrophe, and sublime anticipation. 

I climbed the dark brow of the mighty Hillvellyn. 

The throne of Eternity is a throne of mercy and love. 
The right hand upwards oblique supine, is used in 
general sublimity and general sacred reference. 

Hark, the herald angels sing ! 

God is the father of those that trust in Him. 
The right hand upwards lateral supine, is used in 
elevation, sacredness, sublimity combined with ex- 
tension or distance, descriptive reference combined 
with elevation or sublimity, sublime classification, 
and victory, triumph and exultation. 

The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets in their turn. 

The song of triumph sounds on high ! 

The right hand upwards oblique backwards supine, 
is used in remoteness of time or space, associated 
with elevation or sublimity, and in great victory, 
triumph and exultation. These horizontal gestures 
have all of them more or less of a wave. 

Shout, shout aloud ! the victory is won ! 

This glorious deed shall reach remotest time. 

The left hand also may be used in this way, but 
sparingly, to relieve the monotony of a frequent use 
of the right, or to represent what is on the left. When 
the conditions are more intense and emphatic, both 
hands supine can be used, and when necessary to ex- 
press the greater amplitude of what is conveyed, also 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 599 

where they are necessary to express more clearly the 
action, as in consigning the dead to the earth it is 
more natural to use both hands to indicate the body, 
as requiring both arms to lay it in the grave. 

We consign this sacred body to the earth's cold breast. 

Wide is the gate and broad the way that leadeth to destruction. 

THE PRONE HAND. 

The signification of the prone hand is that of cover- 
ing, supposition, closing up. The right hand des- 
cending front prone is used in suppression, dejection, 
imprecation, and destruction. 

Put down thy useless weapons. 

Thy money perish with thee ! 

The right hand descending oblique prone is used 
in expressions of a similar nature, but not particular 




The Prone Hand. 

or direct, as in prostration, physical or moral suppo- 
sition, general suppression, repression, utter destruc- 
tion, imprecation and destruction by violence. 
Death lies on her like an untimely frost. 

Be ready gods with all your thunder-bolts, 

Dash him to pieces ! 

The right hand descending lateral prone may be 
used when the expression is still more general and in 
cessation, dissolution, scorn, contempt, scornful 
denial, and destruction without violence. 

Gradually the waters subside into a calm. 

I despise all actions so mean and base. 

The right hand descending oblique backwards 



600 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

prone may be used in detestation, abhorrence, and 
contemptuous rejection. 

Thy threats I scorn, they are like the idle mind. 
The right hand horizontal front prone is used in 
arresting", restraining, prohibiting and in sacredness, 
solemnity, awe, execration and deprecation. 
Hush ! boding voice ! 
Tread softly, bow the head ! 

The right hand horizontal oblique prone is used in 
the same circumstances as the last when the expres- 
sions are general, not direct or particular. 
How still and solemn is this midnight scene ! 

The right hand horizontal lateral prone, may be 
used in the same case as the last two when the refer- 
ence is more general or distant, and where there is 
removal, withdrawal, etc. 

The shades of night had covered all the vale. 

The right hand horizontal backward prone is used 
in the same cases as the other when greater remote- 
ness is expressed, or when a greater sweep of the 
hand is required. 

The whole earth behind was covered with the smoke. 

The right hand ascending front prone is used in 
supernal restraint or prohibition. 

Justice says, be still. 
The ascending oblique prone is used in the same 
cases generalized, and in elevation combined with re- 
pression. 

The rising moon obscures the stars. 
The ascending lateral prone is used in elevation or 
sublimity combined with distance or extensions and 
super-positions or repression. 

The mountain top was covered with the mist. 



rjESTUBE EN EXPRESSION- 601 

The ascending oblique backward prone is used 
when the expression is the same as the last, but com- 
bined with greater remoteness in time or space. 
Wrapped in the mist of the most remote obscurity. 
The left hand may be used in these cases as in the 
supine to relieve the right, and give greater variety. 
Both hands may be used prone when there is greater 
intensity, extension of space and when both may be 
required for descriptive effect, and when there may 
be contrasted or compared elevations, or sublime 
conceptions joined to super-position or restraint. 
Lie lightly on her earth — her step was light on thee. 
0"er all the world was spread a darkening mist. 
THE VERTICAL HAND. 

1. The vertical hand is used to chive away what 
the prone would put down. The prone expresses, 
but the vertical repels. The vertical gestures, are 
made in the horizontal and ascending lines, there are 
none, in the descending ; for these would be awkward, 
and so not useful or natural. The right hand hori- 
zontal front vertical, is used in direct repulsion. In 
general repulsion and aversion the oblique vertical is 
used. The lateral vertical is used, when the repulsion 
or aversion has greater removal, and also, in removal 
itself. The vertical oblique backward is used, when 
the removal or repulsion is specially abhorrent, and 
where there is remoteness associated with it. Figs. 1-2. 

Back to thy punishment, false fugitive I 

Repel the bold invaders. 

Hence, horrible shadow I 

The right hand ascending front vertical is used in 

sacred deprecation. If the deprecation has the idea 

of sublimity about it, then the oblique vertical may be 

used, and the ascending lateral vertical would be 



602 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



used in aversion, repulsion or removal combined with 
elevation. The ascending oblique backwards verti- 
cal is used in repulsion and elevation and in abhorrent 
repulsion. Both hands may be used when the feeling 
is more forcible or intense, and when expansion in 
time or space may require it, and the left may relieve 
the right when necessary. There are other special 
or descriptive gestures, which are necessary in certain 
circumstances, as the hand clenched in fierce deter- 





Fio. 1. Fig. 2. 

mination and rage, the hands clasped in supplication, 
folded in humility, crossed over the breast in extreme 
humility and veneration, the index finger for point- 
ing out, the parallel vertical hands in horror, and the 
right hand solemnly held up above the head in taking 
an oath. Many others will suggest themselves to 
the student's mind. 

Attention to the following general principles of 
gesture will be found useful in acquiring correct ges- 
tures. The supine hand is communicative and has 
the power of address, while the prone is repressive. 
The supine is permissory, impulsive, cheerful and 
friendly while the prone is prohibitory, compulsive 
and aversive. Self-esteem, egotism and invitation 
are expressed by motions towards the body, com- 



GESTURE IN EXPEESSION. 603 

mand or refutation by motions from the body; 
suspension, climax or appeal is indicated by rising- 
motions ; and completion, declaration, or response by 
falling. Expanding gestures express liberality, dis- 
tribution, acquiescence or candor ; contracting ges- 
tures, frugality, reserve or collection, a sudden stop 
in gesture indicates doubt, meditation or listening ; a 
sudden movement, decision or discovery. A broad 
and sweeping range of gesture illustrates a general 
statement, or expresses boldness, freedom and self- 
possession ; a limited range denotes diffidence or 
constraint, or illustrates a subordinate point. Firm- 
ness, strength or effort is indicated by rigidity of 
muscle ; languor or weakness by laxity of muscle ; 
gentleness, caution and deliberation are indicated by 
slow movements ; harshness, haste, animation and te- 
merity by quick movements. 

A proper attention to the details now given will, we 
think, enable the student by care and practice to 
make his gestures properly. It is not necessary to 
follow implicitly the rules given, as the nature and 
character of the speaker will often determine the ges- 
ture to be used. In this as in all other departments 
of oratory good taste is the chief requisite. By ob- 
serving carefully the position of the hand in making 
gestures, whether it is supine, prone, or vertical the 
student will be deterred from making a gesture which 
conveys a different meaning from that contained in 
the words he utters, and by attention to the curves in 
which the gestures move, variety which is necessary 
to good gestures will be obtained. It is not demanded 
that the gestures shall be in the exact curves, but 
anywhere near that position will be appropriate, but 
in this the good taste of the speaker will show itself. 






604 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

THE USE OF THE ARMS AND HANDS IN EXPRESSION. 

Arms in Expression.— In calm repose the arms are 
in their normal or natural position. In imprecation 
they are raised overhead while the hand is ready to 
pounce on the victim. In weakness the arms hang 
listlessly ; in self-complacency, arrogance, self-impor- 
tance and self-sufficiency they are folded across the 
chest or placed akimbo ; in humility they drop ; in 
supplication and entreaty they are held forward ; in 
admiration they are extended. They are raised in 
invocation, appeal and expectancy ; in passion they 
are rigid ; in terror they are thrown back and 
bent. They are projected in authority, wave the ob- 
ject off in disdain; they are bent in alarm and fall sud- 
denly in disappointment. 

Hands in Expression. — When there is no emotion 
the hands are in their natural position, open and re- 
laxed. In supplication they are raised or applied, in 
emotion locked or clasped ; they wave or clasp in joy 
and approbation, hang loosely or together in melan- 
choly, are rigid or clenched in passion, and wrung in 
anguish. In indignation and threatening the hand 
is clenched and shaken, in deprecation they are clasp- 
ed, in invitation they are moved towards the body, and 
in rejection or dismissal they are pushed away from 
the body generally with the palms outward, or what 
is called the vertical hand. Both hands are held su- 
pine or clasped in prayer, and they descend slowly 
prone in blessing. The hand on the head indicates 
pain or distress, also thoughtfulness ; on the eyes 
shame or grief. Both hands on the eyes makes the 
expression of shame or grief more intense. The 
hand on the side of the head indicates stupor, on the 
crown of the head giddiness or delirium. The hand 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 605 

supporting the chin expresses meditation, support- 
ing the cheek languor or weariness, laid on the breast 
it appeals to the conscience or the affections and in- 
dicates desire. In astonishment the hands start 
with sudden motion; in malediction, they descend 
with a quick vehement motion,, in candor and sincer- 
ity the palms are turned upwards or supine, in con- 
cealment and cunning they are turned downwards or 
prone ; in defence, apprehension, aversion and hor- 
ror they are turned outwards from the body, or ver- 
tical, and in boldness or confidence the palms are 
turned inwards or towards the body. Meekness is 
expressed by crossing the hands on the breast ; re- 
morse or acute bodily distress, difficulty of breath- 
ing and palpitation of the heart by pressing or beat- 
ing the upper part of the chest. In resignation the 
hands are folded or placed across the breast ; in sur- 
prise they are thrown up, in adoration they are clasp- 
ed, in sympathy and courtesy they are waved forward, 
in veneration they are crossed on the breast, and in 
appealing to heaven they are raised on high. 

Fingers in Expression. — In calm and placid moods 
the fingers are relaxed and slightly separated. All 
the fingers and thumb thrown open, and slightly sep- 
arated expresses exaltation, earnestness and animated 
attention. If this is carried still further, by separat- 
ing them to the utmost and holding them stiff and 
straight, it expresses exasperation. The fingers shut 
so as to form the clenched fist expresses conflict, firm- 
ness, strength and concentration of force. In fear the 
fingers are rigidly separated, in anger they are bent, 
in convulsion the fingers are somewhat apart and bent 
at the first joint, in affirmation they are open and in 
bashfulness they are placed either open or closed in 
the mouth. The finger is placed on the lips in atten- 



606 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

tion. reflection, listening- or to enjoin silence; it directs 
attention to any object by pointing- at it, and when this is 
joined with a falling motion of the hand reproves or 
warns. If it is applied successively to the tips of the 
fingers on the other hand, it enumerates ; if it is laid 
in the palm of the other hand it specifies dogmatically. 
The Body as a whole plays an important part in 
gesture and expression. While it should be held 
perfectly erect, yet there must be no stiffness, unless 
where the stiffness is the expression of a feeLng. It 
should not be held like a log, as the gestures in that 
case would seem to come from an immovable trunk. 
While the shoulders should not move or the body 
sway back and forth with the gesture, yet there ought 
to be a certain suppleness or pliability of the body, 
which is in harmony with the gestures. There should 
be no affected and ridiculous contortions of the body, 
but a manly and free exertion of the muscles, so that 
the gestures may be made with ease and grace. The 
raising up or shrugging of the shoulders, is some- 
thing that belongs to the stage, and is used in emo- 
tions of strong indifference or contempt, and hence 
ought never to be used in ordinary speaking, and 
even on the stage but sparingly. The positions of 
the body are accompaniments of the gestures, and 
motions of the head, arms, hands and other members, 
and ought to be in perfect harmony with these 
movements. When the body is held easily erect it 
expresses steadiness, courage, resolution, authoritj^, 
determination and joy, when held stiffly erect or 
thrown back it expresses pride, haughtiness and 
assumption of dignity ; when stooping forward it 
indicates condescension, compassion, humility or 
bashfulness. In reverence, adoration, respect and 
salutation the body is bent forward ; in admiration, 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 607 

courtesy, sympathy and attention the body is bent 
toward the object ; in self-loathing and the utmost 
humility and abasement the body is prostrated ; in 
indignation the body is erect and shaken ; in arrog- 
ance it is thrown back ; in reproach, disdain, and self- 
importance it is erect ; in deprecation, supplication, 
and resignation it is inclined forward ; in expecta- 
tion, hope and love it is inclined toward the object ; 
and in aversion and terror it is drawn away from the 
object. The body is bowed in grief, it shrinks in- 
wardly in horror, is tossed back in confusion, and 
shrinks and crouches in abhorrence of self. The 
body is raised or expanded in spiritual or moral exal- 
tation, power and dominion, and the gestures are made 
on a higher plane. In physical and moral weakness 
the body is drawn downward, and totters, and the 
gestures are on a lower plane. 

The Countenance.— "We can tell by a man's looks 
the passions which rule his soul. A skilful physiog- 
nomist can readily tell the character of men simply by 
scanning their countenances. The reason is that ex- 
pressions which have been often repeated tend to fix 
themselves permanently in the face. Men and ani- 
mals express their feelings, thoughts and passions in 
their face and by bodily attitudes. These expres- 
sions become so fixed that the lines on the face an- 
nounce what have been the ruling passions of an in- 
dividual's life, as surely as the hands of a clock indi- 
cate the hours on the dial-plate. Behold the grace- 
ful curling lines on the cheeks above the mouth in- 
dicating the mirthful and happy character ! On the 
other hand see how the graceful lines are flattened 
and the cheeks drawn do wn in the morose and gloomy 
dyspeptic. No one can fail to tell by the look of a 
man when he is angry, sad or kind. All the various 



G08 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

emotions and passions have their language, which 
a practical observer can read as easily as the alphabet. 
The tones of the voice, the scowl, the sneer, the ges- 
tures of the head and body reveal much of man's in- 
ner nature. The language of the countenance is readily 
understood by all nations and races throughout the 
world. It often equals and may sometimes surpass 
even voice and speech. This language needs no dic- 
tionary or interpreter. It was by facial expression 
that the great Argyle taught court etiquette to the 
simple, rustic maiden — Jeanie Deans, in her famous 
interview with Queen Caroline, when she pleaded the 
cause of a loved sister. The notorious conspiracy 
of the Sicilian Yespers was organized wholly by 
facial signs. In speaking of the countenance, Quin- 
tilian has forcibly said, " This is the dominant power 
in expression. With this we supplicate ; with this 
we threaten ; with this we soothe ; with this we mourn ; 
with this we rejoice ; with this we triumph ; with 
this we make our submissions ; upon this the audience 
hang ; upon this they keep their eyes fixed ; this 
they examine and study, even before a word is 
spoken ; this it is which excites in them favorable or 
unfavorable emotions ; from this they understand 
everything, often it becomes more significant than any 
words." The public speaker should attend to the ex- 
pression of his countenance as well as to that of his 
voice, and the sort of expression to be adopted should 
be such as best suits the nature of his subject, and 
the character of the feeling to be expressed. The aim 
of all should be to sincerely deliver their true senti- 
ments and to realize and feel the emotions to be con- 
veyed, and the countenance will not fail to take on 
the correct expression. As the countenance is the 
expression of the life and character of the man, a noble, 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 609 

virtuous and holy life will produce a good counten- 
ance, and when the orator comes to speak in public 
these characteristics will flash into the countenance, 
and will have an irresistible effect on his hearers. If 
the speaker cultivates the emotions and feelings, and 
keeps them active he will find little difficulty in the 
expression of the countenance. Before treating of 
the various parts of the countenance separately it 
may be well to state that in pleasure the features ex- 
pand, and in pain they contract. In a calm and 
placid condition of mind the features are smooth, in 
melancholy they are elongated, in folly they grin, and 
they are variously furrowed in the different emotions. 
Comic effects maybe produced on the countenance as 
elsewhere by a combination of extravagance and in- 
congruity. The incongruity is produced by having 
one part of the face represent one set of emotions, 
and another part another set, or by having the whole 
countenance express emotions opposite to what the 
circumstances warrant. 

The Head is also important in expressien. It is 
one of the essentials of grace, to keep the head easily 
in its proper position. The movements of the head 
should be suited to the character of the delivery and 
harmonize with the motion of the hands and body. 
The head by its motions can express modesty, doubt, 
admiration and indignation, but although it has a 
motion of its own, which is suited to the movements 
of other parts of the body, yet it must not roll from 
side to side with the gestures, nor rise or fall with the 
inflections of the voice. It is also a fault to shake or 
nod the head too frequently ; but to toss it violently 
while speaking is simply outrageous. Some men have 
a peculiarity of shaking the head while speaking, which 
to the uneducated and thoughtless may seem to be 






610 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

very pretty and appropriate, yet to the professional 
speaker and to all persons of good taste, it can only 
be a mannerism which ought to be avoided. The 
head is held erect or thrown back in all the exhilarating* 
emotions and inclined forward in all the depressing 
emotions. This is natural ; it is the position which 
the whole body assumes when the vital functions are 
increased by the exhilarating mental states. As 
regards the head and face generally, the movements 
must be in harmony with the mental states, which 
clamor for expression. In delivery when no partic- 
ular emotion has as yet taken possession of the inner 
man, the gesture of the head and face should corres- 
pond to a simple or elementary condition of the men- 
tal states. The head should be held in an erect and 
normal position, otherwise it will indicate some emo- 
tion even when none is just then intended to be con- 
veyed. For if the head inclines away from the nat- 
ural or normal position it becomes expressive of pas- 
sion. Thus when held down it indicates humility 
when thrown backwards arrogance ; when inclined to 
one side in a sharp and rigid line destructiveness ; 
when lolling from side to side languor and when stiff 
and rigid a want of grace and refinement. The move- 
ments of the head must correspond with the actions 
of the body, and with the facial expression or else 
ludicrous effects will result. There is a motion of the 
head difficult to describe, which is very impressive 
as it indicates intelligence and refinement. It is 
quick, sharp, graceful and expressive of a mind tho- 
roughly alive to every moral and intellectual quality. 
This is the highest attainment in the movement of 
the head, and should be striven after by all. 

In calm repose the head is held easily erect, in in- 
terrogation, hope and desire the head has a forward, 



GESTTEE Es fitHBBBBttHT. 611 

upward movement, ending with an n ;: the 

shin; in joy, Mrorage, confidence, determina:: an, 
anthority and indignation the head is held erect ; in 
pride, arrogance, exaltation and self-importance it is 
thrown back ; in fear, terror and horror, i: is ;: : o she 
or drawn back ; in admiration, rxpectation, courtesy* 
sympathy and attention it leans forward ; it hangs 
down, or is bowed in veneration, reverence and hu- 
mility ; it is c ist 1 : wn in grief, confusion and shame. 
Xhe head nods forward in assent and is shaken in dis- 
sent, it is protruded in curiosity, lies to one side in 
languor, bashfulness and indolence, rolls or tosses in 
anger, shakes or hangs down in sadness, jerked back- 
ward in invitation, averted in dislike or horror, and is 
jerked to one side in boasting, threatening and dog- 
matism. The head is inclined sidewise from the ob- 
ject in cunning, envy, hate and suspicion, and side- 
wise towards the object in tenderness and affection. 
The Eyebrows aid the eye to express the various 
emotions, as they give form to the eyes and altogether 
control the forehead. By them the forehead is con- 
tracted, raised or lowered and assumes various shapes 
from their movements. The general form of the eye- 
fai :~ varies greatly in different people, in some they 
are straight, in others arched and their form is capable 
of change and improvement by the course of life or 
study which is pursued. The eyebrows are elevate 1 
in the exhilarating emotions — joy, hope, amazement 
and surprise, and dej resse 1 in the depressing emo- 
tions — fear, grief and despair. They are knit or con- 
tracted in anger, rage and determination, and drop in 
weakness and dejection. The eyebrows lower or 
frown in authority of a forbidding nature, knit in sor- 
row and solicitude, contract in perplexity, droop in 



612 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

weakness, are relaxed in cheerfulness, lifted in inquiry 
and depressed in conviction. 

The Eye is the window of the soul. That man was 
but a fool who found fault with God's noblest work of 
creation — man, because he did not so place his heart 
that by its workings man's motives and thoughts 
might be revealed. The Creator has endowed man 
with a living mirror which not only reflects the inward 
resolvings of the soul, but wonderfully presents them 
in a living and permanent form. All the emotions, 
thoughts and motives of the mind shine in the eyes, 
so that a skilful reader of human character can tell by 
the expression of the eye the state of the soul within. 
All men examine the countenance and look into the 
eyes of those from whom they have any expectations 
or with whom they are about to have intercourse. To 
look fairly into the eyes of those with w r hom we hold 
conversation denotes a candid and ingenuous mind > 
on the other hand, a downcast look or averted eyes 
indicates the opposite character. But this guilt-be- 
traying look is altogether different from the occasion- 
al downcast features which indicate bashful modesty. 
The eyes are the first to express the state of the soul ; 
in its glassy folds the language of the first awakened 
emotion lies. By an effort of the will w r e may restrain 
the other facial gestures and the movements of the 
body, but the expression in the eye cannot be hidden. 
We trust the eye even when the tongue and hand 
speak a different language. By a motion of the hand 
we may signify our approval or satisfaction, but if the 
eye is expressionless, we know the tongue and hand 
are liars. It is because the eye first expresses 
the awakening thought or motive that the expert gam- 
bler and swordsman watch its every motion and can 
tell when the moment of the decisive blow has come. 



GESTUKE IN EXPKESSION. 613 

It is the eye which first reveals courage in an adver- 
sary and tells how long- the strife will last. When 
courage gives place to fear it is the eye which expresses 
that depressing- emotion ■ by its quivering, unsteady 
glance. Animals look into each other's eyes to dis- 
cover the quality of the courage which rages within. 
The animal with the strongest eye generally prevails 
in combat. The power of the eye to charm is well 
known ; it would seem that all the magnetism of the 
soul can be concentrated within its pupil. The ser- 
pent charms even the strongest animals by the allur- 
ing aspect of its shining eyes. The eye can disarm 
insanity and even savage ferocity of their power to 
harm. A guilty soul has often been rooted to the 
spot by the penetrating eye of an accuser even while 
his words and gestures proclaimed his innocence. 
The power of a single glance may often be seen in 
debate and conversation. Very few conscience-stained 
men or women can withstand the steady glance of a 
strong resolute man acquainted with their guilt. The 
whole force of a single sentence may be conveyed by 
a single look from an orator. Lord Chatham often 
compelled his opponents to sink under his glance. 
The eyes of Edmund Kean, the celebrated tragedian, 
when under the influence of passion gleamed with such 
scorching lustre as to make those who stood beneath 
their rays quail. The eyes of Burns, Scotland's 
greatest poet, are said by Sir Walter Scott to have 
glowed when he spoke with feeling and interest. The 
eyes of Daniel Webster were marvellously expressive, 
sometimes they glowed with all the fire of a tropical 
sun, at other times they were as cold and placid as 
the moon. There is a beauty peculiar to the e3 r e alone j 
it is the beauty of living expression. God has decreed 
that there should be a language to reveal the soul 



614 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

and that language lie has placed in the eye. Where 
the heart is black with crime and filthy thoughts, it 
unburdens itself in the eye. Faint is the flash and 
uneasy is the roll of the sinner's eye. Sexual passion 
when its dawning sun has set in indulgence casts its 
ruddy streaks over the glistening white of the eyeball. 
A woman can read a man's passion in his eye. What a 
wonderful index of the soul is the eye. In its swift re- 
volving movements and changeful flashes may be read 
all the emotions of the human heart. Eyes which but 
a moment ago seemed full of rest and peace now glow 
with an all-consuming fire. 

Eyes that are full of rage and animosity may sud- 
denly melt with grief at sight of a sorrowful scene. 
See how mirth sparkles, how love beams, and how 
anger rolls within the agitated pupil. See how hope, 
joy, and supplication elevate the eye. How wide 
apart they are in amazement, wonder and surprise, 
and how cast down in humility, despondency, gloom 
and shame. How they roll from side to side in 
anxiety, and terror, and how steady is their gaze in 
confidence, boldness, and energy. How they look 
askance in suspicion, and are cast on vacancy in 
thought, stare in wonder, are mute in cunning, and 
measure the object from head to foot in contempt. 
The eye is not only important to the orator as an in- 
strument of expression, but it aids him to control his 
audience. As the eyes can influence persons at a 
distance, they can select a single individual from a 
multitude and fix their gaze exclusively upon him, 
though many lie in the same direction. It is within 
the power of an orator to draw the attention of any 
person in this way even though his discourse is not 
addressed to him. There seems to be a magnetic in- 
fluence which reveals to that person that the speaker 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 615 

has bent his attention upon him exclusively and so 
he eagerly returns the glance and closely attends to 
what is said. The same effect follows when the 
orator fixes his eyes upon the audience, every one 
present seems to feel that the speaker has him in 
mind and wishes to converse with him. By a steady 
well-directed glance an orator may sway an audience 
and command their attention. How utterly ineffect- 
ive then, must be the speech read from manuscript 
with the eyes seldom or never raised. That speaker 
who cannot look up from his manuscript into the 
faces of his audience will lose more than half his 
power over them. He will appear to many to be ut- 
tering vocal sounds simply to the paper before him 
and not to them. Besides, half the vocal power is 
lost not only from the unnatural stooping posture in 
reading, but from the fact that the vocal sounds are 
directed toward the manuscript and not aimed directly 
at the audience. 

The Nostrils. — Are relaxed in all the tranquil emo- 
tions ; they are rigid in violent passions ; they open 
in interest, admiration, surprise, hope and joy ; close 
to express grief, anxiety and despondency ; they 
dilate and quiver in fear, terror and horror ; they 
expand in all the defensive and aggressive passions ; 
they are twitched up in scorn, contempt and disgust 
and are distended in indignation. 

The Mouth and especially the lips are instruments 
of oratorical expression. When the physiognomist 
declares that lips reveal character he must have in mind 
the philosophical principle, that the passions and 
emotions express themselves in facial gestures, made 
by alternate contraction and relaxation of the facial 
muscles. These gestures when often repeated fix them- 
selves permanently in well marked lines on the face- 



616 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Hence the face becomes an index to the character. 
It is not our object to teach how to tell character, if so 
we could enumerate the signs on the human face 
which indicate the various dispositions of men, but to 
unfold the signs of expression which appear in the 
face as an aid to the development of the emotions 
and passions. The mouth and lips are now under 
consideration. With the lips we curse and bless, 
and give utterance to the vilest or purest thoughts. 
With the lips we smile, pout, sneer, scorn, laugh, and 
send messages of love. Through the warm lips the 
love-passions express themselves. The kiss of 
friendship on the cheek and the full rushing together 
of the lips in conjugal and connubial love are unmis- 
takable signs. The lips are drawn back at the corners 
and more or less raised in delight, joy and laughter; 
they are depressed and slightly protruded in sor- 
row, grief, dejection and pain. In scorn and con*, 
tempt they are curled upward ; in disgust downward ; 
in weakness and indecision they are relaxed ; in firm- 
ness, decision, energy and authority they are firmly 
pressed together. The lips are often tightly drawn 
together in agony ; and in vexation, bitter disappoint- 
ment or blasted hopes the lower lip is sometimes bit- 
ten by the teeth. Loose and sprawling lips denote an 
empty mind ; muscular, elastic and mobile lips indi- 
cate a quick mental temperament. Love of praise is 
expressed by the raising of the upper lip so as to dis- 
play one or more teeth ; boasting and fretfulness by 
pouting of the lips. In crying the mouth opens hori- 
zontally and the lips are drawn to either side. The 
mouth opens in fear, wonder, languor, listening, as- 
tonishment and desire ; and shuts in pride, apathy 
and moroseness. The jaw falls in melancholy ; the 
teeth are gnashed in anger ; the tongue protrudes in 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 617 

imbecility ; the lips are compressed and firm in de- 
termination and authority. The mouth smiles in joy, 
courtesy and admiration ; it is sneering- or scornful in 
reproach, arrogance, self-importance, disdain, dissent 
and aversion ; and is restless in anxiety, genial in 
sympathy, and sneers in malevolence. 

Dr. Austin in his Chironomia, in speaking of the 
mouth, says : " It is more important to attend to the 
mouth, than even to the eyes themselves. The eyes 
at all times can assume the character suited to the ex- 
pression of the moment. But the mouth being one of 
the softest features is soonest changed, and if it once 
loses its character of sweetness, it changes, perhaps, 
forever. How few mouths which have been beautiful 
in youth (the season of happiness and smiles) are pre- 
served beyond that period, whilst the eyes are often 
found to retain their lustre, or to flash occasionally 
with their early brightness even in advanced life. 
Every bad habit defaces the soft beauty of the mouth, 
and leaves indelible traces of their injury. The 
stains of intemperance discolor it, ill nature wrinkles 
it, envy deforms, and voluptuousness bloats it. The 
impressions of sorrow upon it are easily traced, the 
injuries which it suffers from ill-health are manifest, 
and accidents may often deform the symmetry. It is- 
sweetened by benevolence, chiselled by taste, rendered 
firm by wisdom, and composed by discretion ; and 
these traces, if habitually fixed, last unaltered in its 
soft forms throughout every varying stage of life. 
We should, therefore, labor in our own persons, and 
watch those of the young under our control to form, 
if possible, this pliant and characteristic feature to 
that grace and beauty of form which is so apt to be 
marred by ill-temper and bad passions. But what- 
ever may be the beauty and expression of the mouth 






618 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

which prepossesses in favor of an orator,a well-formed 
mouth is to be desired on another and most important 
account, which is for the advantage of more perfect 
articulation and grace in delivery. An ill-formed un- 
couth, under-hung or gaping mouth can never finish 
perfectly or correctly the articulation of words, nor 
deliver them with that winning grace which delights 
the ear as well as the eye of every hearer. The authors 
of the fantastic legends of the " Fairy Tales," often al- 
lude to the magic gift of dropping at every word 
pearls and diamonds from the lips. A near approach 
to this imaginary gift is made in real life by those who 
acquire the most perfect eloquence ; who join to cor- 
rect and finished enunciation the graces of a refined 
taste and the riches of a cultivated mind. On their 
lips sit persuasion and delight, and the words which 
fall from them may well be compared to the brightest 
gems." 

The Lower Limbs and Feet have significance in 
expression. They are held straight and rigid in ob- 
stinacy and self-conceit ; firm in courage, confidence 
and pride, they advance in design, admiration and joy; 
are restless in anxiety, and retire in surprise, terror 
and apprehension. In timidity, awkwardness and 
tottering frailty they are relaxed and bent ; in adora- 
tion and prayer they kneel ; in bashfulness, melancholy 
and shame they are bent, and in extreme terror and 
horror they tremble. 

The feet placed together so as to point directly for- 
ward indicate boorishness ; too close together denote 
timidity or awkwardness. The points turned inward 
indicate deformity ; frequent change of the feet de- 
note mental disturbance ; starting of the feet denote 
apprehension or violent surprise ; stamping, harsh 
authority or angry impatience ; advancing denote 



GESTURE IN EXPRESSION. 619 

energy, and retiring, alarm and fearfulness. Short, 
light, tip-toe steps denote a secret intention, and long, 
heavy, striding steps, boasting and bravado. When 
the feet are a few inches apart with one heel in ad- 
vance and pointing toward the other heel, we have 
gracefulness and ease. The weight of the body sup- 
ported on the retired foot denotes dignity, dislike or 
carelessness. If supported on the advanced foot we 
have familiarity, attention and sympathy. The feet 
considerably separated with the weight of the body 
on the advanced foot denotes eagerness, earnest ap- 
peal, listening and attack, if the body is supported on 
the retired foot we have disgust, horror and defence. 
The feet considerably apart with the weight of the 
body equally on both feet denotes bluster and pom- 
posity. 



CHAJPTEK XXX. 

DEPARTMENTS IN BEADING AND ORATORY. 



In order to read well it is absolutely necessary at 
the outset to assume the erect position, mentioned in 
the chapters on gesture and the cultivation of the 
voice. It is better to stand rather than sit while read- 
ing ; as the former position permits of a freer move- 
ment of the hands and limbs, and is more impressive. 
An audience is always more or less favorably impress- 
ed by the stature and carriage of the body, therefore, 
the standing is better than the sitting position as 
the body appears to better advantage. Whatever be 
the position be sure you expand the chest well. 

There is no more elegant accomplishment than a 
chaste, appropriate and natural style of elocution. 
Oratory should be taught not merely as an art neces- 
sary for a public speaker but as being useful to those 
who never expect to become public speakers. To be 
able to speak in common conversation with choice 
language and correct elocution is even more to be de- 
sired than what is commonly called a liberal educa- 
(6S 0) 




HENIiY IKYING. 



DEPARTMENTS. 621 

tion. If a man can not use his mother tongue with 
natural vigor and elegance, his education is incom- 
plete. Of what use is knowledge if you can not express 
it to others or clothe it with appropriate language ? 
Much knowledge and wisdom is lost to the cause of 
progress on account of the incapacity of scholars to 
speak impressively. It is not the multitude of thoughts 
a man possesses that enables him to influence the 
lives of other men, but it is the flame kindled in his 
own being when he gives them utterance. 

Common Conversation. — In order to converse easily 
and impressively the voice should be trained. A 
clear, distinct voice impregnated with the feelings of 
the human heart, always holds full sway in conversa- 
tion. There is a melody and richness, which natural 
conversation should possess, and which depends upon 
natural delivery. 

Natural Delivery depends upon the accurate pre- 
sentation of the mental states. In order to be a 
self-critic of one's own conversational elocution, these 
mental states should be carefully studied. The voice 
should be trained to execute spontaneously the many 
changes in inflection, stress, emphasis, tone and 
quality. The power of conversation to charm and 
fascinate is mainly due to the prevalence of these 
manifold changes in voice. One general principle 
should rule, be true to the feelings within. Do not 
endeavor to be grand-iloquent, but let your voice suit 
the thoughts you utter. 

Family Reading. — Homo can be rendered very at- 
tractive if in addition to conversation a course of 
reading is pursued. Let one or more members of 
a family circle, read at times for the instruction of 
the other members. It need hardly be urged as a 
motive for the cultivation of this kind of reading 



ELOCUTTOH AXB ORATOF.Y. 

that it exerts a beneficial influence upon the family 
circle. Let such readings n LMe 

Proportion the volume, loudness and pitch of voice 
to the size of the room and the number of the au- 
dience. Declamation will only render the words 
ridiculous. Sympathy with what is read must 
pressed in subdued rather than loud tones of voice. 
The middle, or a little lower than the middle k- 
the most app r opri ate. Be careful to separate by cor- 
i -ausing, the various members of a sentence. In 
order to bring out clearly the meaning of what is 
read the words should be correctly collocated, not 
hurried one upon the other, which is apt to be the 
case in family reading. 

Parlor Reading thai of pub- 

lic reading and one above family reading. Parlor 
readings have of late become very popular among in- 
telligent people. The diifieulty of providing enter- 
tainment for private parties and social gatherings 
has been experienced by all. Games become old 
and lose their interest upon both old and young. 
Conversation can only afford entertainment I 
few, especially to small groups of persons whose 
intimacy brings them together. But how to make ail 
happy at one and the same time has been the anxious 
question of all sociable hosts. This difficulty has in 
many cases been easily removed by procuring the 
services of a good reader. The practice of parlor 
reading cannot be too highly commended. It im- 
parts information, makes us acquainted with the 
writings of the best authors, and cultivates the emo- 
tions. It is not necessary to give minute directions 
fox successful parlor reading. The reader should be 
careful to select appropriate pieces, and it is well that 
they should not all be of one style. A varied pro- 



DEPABMENTS. 623 

gramme of comic, humorous and pathetic is always 
the most entertaining-. An audience in general pre- 
fer the comic or humorous, but the reader should not 
pander too mach to such a degraded taste, he should 
rather seek to elevate his audience by the recitation* 
of selections embodying noble, elevated sentiments. 
Public Reading has become very important as elo- 
cutionary entertainments are very popular and have 
taken to a considerable extent the place once occu- 
pied by public lectures. Public readings should be 
encouraged, as they supply a very necessary want of 
our civilization. There has always been a numerous 
class who can enjoy a theatrical entertainment, but 
who would not attend the theater on account of 
r-f liirl : "S ?;:-.ivlfs El: ::::: ;:l.v:-~ f-^tei-'.iEizif-z's :\:11~ 
gratify this taste without the evil associations of the 
: L r : : t : , A: : : :1 reader has the power to cultivate 
: '_ t - l_ f :1: : ulti ?s as are evoked by the actor. Natural 
qualifications for a good reader include good physi- 
nd mental endowments, a quick and keen per- 
ception of meanings, vivid imagination, and the 
capacity to imitate. In dramatic selections the 
reader must be able to express the meaning in gen- 
eral and to so personate the various characters that 
t : >me living beings, speaking and acting like 
real men. A reader should throw himself body and 
spirit into his subject. The characters must be care- 
folly separated, and proper tones of voice and gesture 
assigned them. Where a great many characters are 
engaged in the same scene or act, take every precau- 
tion to show who speaks. It is well to mention the 
characters by name when you begin, but having once 
read them, fix to each a peculiar voice in keeping 
with the nature of the character, and be sure you gjnrc 
each person whenever he speaks the same quality r i 



. 



624 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

voice you assigned to him when he first entered. 
Dramatic are most difficult of all readings, and re- 
quire, besides natural gifts, extensive study in order 
to correctly portray the various passions. There can 
be no better aid to the acquirement of the highest 
excellence in this difficult department of reading than 
a close study of the mental states. We should seek 
to discover what are the leading constitutional ele- 
ments in the character of each person. In Shylock, 
avarice and revenge are the leading traits. Othello's 
is a noble mind swayed by jealousy. Iago, is typical 
of cunning and hypocrisy. Desdemona, is full of love 
and unsuspecting. The language of each character- 
istic must be definitely studied. By studying the 
elements which singly and in combination make up 
all the types of character, we have the means of real- 
izing any one character at any time. It is a useful 
principle to bear in mind, especially when you are 
selecting the quality of voice, that the evil passions 
have a tendency to express themselves in tones colored 
more or less by the bad qualities of the voice. As a 
general rule you may assign to villains a voice having 
the qualities of the evil emotions, to noble characters 
more sympathetic and elevating qualities of voice. 
Various characters should be studied in the light 
of their personality whether weak or powerful 
and the voice made to correspond. A servant's de- 
livery should differ from that of a gentleman. As 
public reading may embrace the whole circle of Eng- 
lish literature, humorous, sympathetic and sublime, 
botli in prose and poetry, it is necessary that those 
who aspire to be successful readers should cultivate 
all the elements of good delivery. 

Lecture Room. — If professors and teachers would 
give one third of the attention they devote to the ac- 






DEPARTMENTS. 625 

cumulation of matter for their lectures to the study of 
a proper and natural expression of their thoughts, 
they would find their usefulness in the class-room in- 
creased. As the case now stands, recitation-room 
lectures are about as dry as " old fogy sermons." 
It is one thing to acquire knowledge and another 
thing to impart it in the best and most interesting 
way. Some professors have a talent for communi- 
cating knowledge, and in colleges where the elective 
system prevails they draw all scholars to their depart- 
ments. The requisites for lecture-room oratory are 
a keen, discriminating intellect which gathers infor- 
ation readily, a keen power of analysis and com- 
parison, a ready command of words and a varied 
delivery. Without these a class-room professor will 
fail. The highest success is more readily obtained if 
the professor has a strong imagination, a good en- 
dowment of wit, and an emotional delivery. 

Perhaps we can not find a better example of lecture- 
room oratory than the eloquence of John Wilson 
(Christopher North). His temperament was well- 
balanced. He was both an orator and a poet. His 
stature was commanding, his face beautiful and ex- 
pressive of every emotion and passion. When he 
was professor at Edinburgh University he gave a 
course of lectures on moral philosophy remarkable 
for eloquence of matter and delivery, which were 
largely attended by the young men of the college. 
In his class-room talks even on comparatively dry 
subjects he was brilliant, animated, and full of en- 
thusiasm. He was a general favorite with young- 
men because he knew how to interest them by his 
conversation. There was an enchanting melody in 
the sound of his voice that held the attention of all. 
One of his countrymen describes his voice as " mar- 




626 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



velously expressive, sweet, clear, and yet with a burr 
indicative of power." 

The lecture platform offers a field for the grandest 
nights of eloquence. Wendell Phillips, Henry Ward 




John Wilson. 

Beecher and John B. Gough have shown how wide a 
field the lecture platform offers to eloquence. The 
lecture may be a plain unadorned talk, like a profes- 
sor's lecture in a recitation room, or it may be full of 
the most stirring appeals to the emotions and pas- 



DEPARTMENTS. 627 

sions. The requisites for a successful platform orator 
of the highest rank are a rare combination of natural 
gifts and acquired talents. A man may be success- 
ful as a pulpit or forensic orator and yet fail as a 
popular lecturer. The orator who speaks from the 
lecture platform, if he wishes to reach the most emi- 
nent position in that department of oratory, must pos- 
sess a vigorous developement of the mind, a com- 
manding stature, and a good voice. The voice must be 
thoroughly trained. A poor voice may be tolerated 
in the pulpit and at the bar, but never on the public 
platform. 

Wendell Phillips had a voice of remarkable power, 
flexibility and expressiveness. It was full, clear and 
silvery sweet. His expression of the mental states 
was calm rather than violent, oratorical rather than 
dramatic, but in every word there was an undercur- 
rent of feeling which held the attention and incited 
his hearers to action. His language was truly elo- 
quent. His graceful periods and strong, pointed sen- 
tences arranged in rhythmical cadence, penetrated 
the heart with overwhelming persuasiveness. He 
had the oratorical temperament and all the mental 
gifts necessary to elevated eloquence well adopted. 
His keen intellect stored with knowledge, classical 
and practical, reasoned logically and intuitively. His 
knowledge of human nature was excellent. The 
faculties which when excited produce the transcend- 
ental emotions were very marked, hence we find in all 
his actions a steady adherence to principle and con- 
scientious scruples. The aggressive and Resistive 
group were fully developed which made his style of 
elocution manly and independent. All his sympathies 
were with the down-trodden, and in advocating their 
cause he spoke with an eloquence unsurpassed. His 



628 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 



oratory was bold, sarcastic and impassioned, ite 
never stood in dread of his audience, but courage- 
ously attacked fraud, humbug and tyranny wherever 
found, though practiced by the most powerful men 




Wendell Phillips. 

in the country. No man could declare such disagree- 
able truths to a rebellious audience with more candor 
and vigor. Although born with all the talents neces- 
sary for public speaking, a sensitive temperament and 




DEPAKTMENTS. 629 

a good voice, yet he had been a diligent student of 
oratory, and had striven after elegance and vigor of 
diction, and a forcible yet chaste style of elocution. 

An opposite style of eloquence is that of the great 
temperance lecturer, John B. Gough. His style is 
intensely fervid and dramatic. He makes a hundred 
gestures for every one that Wendell Phillips would 
make in the process of delivering a discourse. His 
gestures often indicate nothing but restlessness of 
disposition, but they generally have great dramatic 
power and pictorial illustration. He has the oratori- 
cal temperment, the theatrical faculties, imitation, 
sublimity and wit are largely developed ; and aesthetic 
and imitative emotions which spring from them 
characterize his style of oratory. He can hold an 
audience for hours, and is always in demand. No 
Lyceum committee ever loses anything in hiring 
Gough to lecture, he always draws a full house. 

Henry Ward Beech er is a successful platform orator. 
He has much of the calmness and self-possession pe- 
culiar to Wendell Phillips, with the fire and occa- 
sionally the dramatic power of Gough, but he is sel- 
dom guilty of the extravagance of gesture which often 
mars the elocution of the latter. 

Law Courts. — The Lawyer who intends to sway 
the hearts and minds of a jury cannot afford to 
neglect the study of oratory. He should spare no 
pains in acquiring a good articulation and expres- 
sive delivery. It will be his aim to persuade the 
jury, which is composed of human beings possessed 
with human emotions. The cultivation of the mental 
states and the power to awaken a responsive echo in 
the hearts of the jurymen is all important. If the law- 
yer has studied human nature ; if he understands what 
Jeelings are likely to sway the judgment of each 



630 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

juryman, and has studied the language of these 
feelings, he can persuade the jury to give whatever 
verdict he wishes. The study of Physiognomy and 
Phrenology are therefore essential to a successful 
lawyer. All successful pleaders have been skillful 
readers of character. Although the voice is the most 
essential requisite in forsenic eloquence, gestures may 
also be effectively employed. There is danger, how- 
ever, that the novice may use too many gestures, or 
those not suitable for the place or the occasion. 
Forensic eloquence is not stage eloquence; gestures 
which would be appropriate for the stage, would only 
excite the mirth of the judge and jury if employed in 
making a plea. In the expression of the contrition? 
or remorse, or scorn, of a prisoner it would not be 
prudent to place the hands upon the head or face and 
assume a forlorn attitude, such gestures are entirely 
in keeping with tragic representation, but are not in 
harmony with the prosaic surroundings of a court of 
justice. On the other hand, a pleader may use gestures 
to emphasize his thoughts, provided these actions are 
in keeping with the sentiments he utters and the 
strict decorum of the court house. The eloquence of 
the bar differs very much from the eloquence of the 
stage or pulpit. Logical argument, keen analysis and 
legal learning, should be thrust home with sarcasm, 
humor, wit, and pathos. Grandiloquent epithets and 
empty expletives are out of place in the eloquence of 
the forum. And it is only upon rare occasions that the 
higher flights of oratory are demanded. Pleading at 
the bar should be characterized by perspicuity of 
statement and simplicity of delivery. Any effort 
after a coup d'etat of oratory will prejudice the client 
in the minds of the jury, Let the lawyer cultivate a 
clear and impressive style of oratory, both as regards 



DEPARTMENTS. 631 

the composition and delivery, and at the same time 
he should aim at a more elevated style when occasion 
requires. Lawyers by the most thrilling bursts 
of eloquence, have handed down their names to fame, 
but they were men of great power, and only displayed 
such flights upon proper occasions. The real object 
of a pleader is to gain his case, and that style of elo- 
quence which achieves this most easily, is the best 
legal oratory. The lawyer should study all the styles 
of eloquence, as such a study will aid him to acquire 
a flexible and impressive delivery. He may not use 
all the passions of the human constitution, but it is 
well that he should study these so as to have them at 
his command. In legal pleading, the monotony inci- 
dent to the questioning of witnesess and the summing 
up of the dry details of legal forms and cases is apt 
to wear on the voice. The lawyer should follow the 
directions for the proper use of the vocal organs and 
practice the methods of vocal culture. Sometimes 
juries will be composed of educated and intelligent 
men, at other times there will be great and indescrib- 
able variety. It should be the aim of the advocate to 
discover exactly the intelligence and character of each 
of the jurymen he is addressing, and to frame his re- 
marks according to their characteristics. He should 
watch them closely during the progress of the case, ob- 
serve how they are affected by the evidence, and if any 
questions are asked, whether the questions are rele- 
vant or not. He should discover in some such way 
who are the most intelligent, or most stupid or obsti- 
nate ; who are calm, patient, hasty, impetuous, and 
who most easily impressed. 

Thomas Erskine is a name synonomous of all that 
is excellent in forensic oratory. His speeches are 
models to be studied by the aspirant for legal honors. 



632 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

The impressive qualities of his eloquence arose from 
his profound knowledge of human nature. Before he 
became an advocate he had mingled with men of the 
world in almost every walk of life, in the army, navy, 
and civil professions, and studied their characters. 
His learning was of a practical cast. His arguments 
fitted the jury he addressed. While speaking he con- 
stantly scanned the faces of the jurymen, to catch 
every sign of approval or disapproval, marked the 
expression of their countenances, measured their in- 
telligence and adapted his arguments to suit the capa- 
city of each. He knew when the tide of sympathy 
was rising in his favor and how to take it at its flood. 
When the hearts of his audience swelled with passion 
his also dilated with enthusiasm, when their feelings 
subsided he appealed to their reason by arguments. 
No orator, ancient or modern, had such a command 
over his audience, they were fascinated by his look 
and could not remove their eyes from his face. Such 
was his knowledge of the external signs of human 
passion that he could tell the very thoughts and senti- 
ments that ruled their minds. His speeches abound in 
observations which exhibit this remarkable faculty. 
In his discourse on the trial of Lord George Gordon, 
he exclaimed, "Gentlemen, I see your minds revolt 
at such shocking propositions." On the trial of 
Stockdale, he said, " Gentlemen, I observe plainly, 
and with infinite satisfaction, that you are shocked 
and offended at my even supposing it possible that 
you should pronounce such a detestable judgment." 
After he had sat down and the counsel of the opposi- 
tion was speaking, he still kept his eyes upon the 
jury, and by his knowledge of facial language knew 
what arguments of his opponent had been effectual, 
what had fallen foul, and how to meet them. The ar- 



DEPARTMENTS. 633 

rangement of the matter of his speeches was excellent. 
All his arguments and passionate appeals were made 
to cluster around a few prominent or leading prin- 
ciples. ' His illustrations were drawn from scenes 
familiar to an English jury ; even his digressions 
brought strength and persuasion. His style was 
chaste, polished, periodic and harmonious, yet full of 
energy. The rhythm of his sentences as in those 
of Grattan, was wondrously beautiful. Lord Camp- 
bell expressed his opinion that much of the charm of 
his eloquence lay in " the exquisite sweetness of his 
diction, pure, simple, and mellifluous, the cadences 
not being borrowed from any model, but marked by 
constant harmony and variety." His style of elocu- 
tion was characterized by compass, flexibility and 
expressiveness. The tone of voice, the glance of his 
eye and his bodily movements were in keeping with 
the nature of the mental state clamoring for expres- 
sion. His marvellous voice had been well trained in 
youth, for it was his habit to declaim extracts from 
Milton and Shakespeare in the open air as he roamed 
his native hills in Scotland before he began to breathe 
the smoky air of London. His personal appearance 
was imposing and attractive. His form was graceful 
and quivered with every passion. His face was 
beautiful and susceptible of an infinite variety of ex- 
pression, and at times lighted up with a smile of 
playful humor. His eye was full of magnetism ; the 
potent charm of each passion darted through every 
glance, and juries found it impossible to withdraw 
their gaze when he had fixed his eyes upon them. 

Erskine is admitted on all sides to have approached 
the nearest to the ideal of a forensic orator. As ex- 
amples of acute and powerful reasoning, enforced by 
glowing eloquence, his speeches are among the 



G34 ELOCUTION A.ND ORATORY. 

grandest and most chaste of this class in the English 
language. Every young lawyer should study them, 
not to copy, but for improvement. They abound in 
examples of the emotional and passional style of 
eloquence, a persuasive blending of argument, reason 
and feeling. 

Political Oratory includes the oratory of Con- 
gress, Parliament and all deliberative assemblies. The 
subjects of discussion are generally war, finance, sup- 
plies and questions of national property. The orator 
aims to persuade a nation, society, or body of people 
to adopt for the general good some one line of policy 
rather than another. 

Parliamentary Oratory — The object of the orator 
in parliamentary speaking is to win the neutrals or 
the opposition to favor the measures he advocates. 
Clearness of statement and energy of expression are 
requisite. A voice which has but little compass or 
power will become harsh, monotonous and disagree- 
able long before the orator will have finished his 
speech, which is usually very long, especially when 
the object is to keep possession of the floor. The 
parliamentary orator should employ sound arguments 
illumined with wit, humor, pathos and sarcasm. His 
elocution should not be theatrical, but subdued, yet 
never monotonous. A flexible voice never wearies the 
listener. Many parliamentary orators have reached 
the climax of oratory even in speeches addressed to 
those who are not expected to be swayed by appeals 
to the passions. Lord Chatham, Fox, Sheridan, 
Daniel O'Connel, Burke, Mirabeau, Clay and Web- 
ster were successful, entertaining orators. For the 
highest flights of eloquence there must be an appro- 
priate occasion ; in general a great proportion of par- 
liamentary business is of a very ordinary nature, and 



DEPARTMENTS. 635 

he who would seek to dazzle the members by outbursts 
of impassioned eloquence over a treasury report or 
salt-tax must be a fool. 

Daniel Webster stands in the front ranks of political 
orators. Next to Washington, he was the greatest 
American statesman. It was by his wisdom and 
arduous labors, that the American republic was con- 
solidated, and her constitution accurately denned and 
placed upon a firm and enduring basis. Nature gives 
birth to men sometimes to show what she can do or 
unto what elevation in wisdom and stature man can 
reach. Such a man was Daniel Webster. A giant 
in stature he was also a giant in intellect. He had 
some of the highest oratorical gifts, a large brain and 
the vital-mental temperament. His intellect was 
broad, comprehensive and profound. He could 
readily grasp first principles, trace cause and effect, 
and formulate systems and plans of goverment. 
With large perceptive faculties, he could readily make 
himself acquainted with the details of any subject, 
but his large reasoning always reduced these details 
to system and order. His personal magnetism was 
overwhelming. No one could stand in his presence 
without feeling a sort of dread creeping over him. 
Those searching black eyes darting passionate glances 
from out their caverns, deep set under craggy brows, 
had an overmastering fascination. In his voice, in 
his step and in every attitude and bearing there was 
a grandeur that took the imagination by storm. 
When Thorwaldsen, the Danish sculptor, saw the cast 
of his bust in Power's studio at Eome, he mistook it 
for the head of Jupiter. " Since the days of Charle- 
magne," said Theodore Parker, " I think there has 
not been such a grand figure in Christendom." His 
voice was a baritone ; strong, round and full. Its 



636 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

power held the attention of all, and sometimes its ex- 
plosive tones fairly startled his audience from their 
seats. In his famous speech in reply to Senator Dic- 
kinson of New York, when he declared that "No 
power known to man, not even hydrostatic pressure 
could compress so big a volume of lies into so small 
a space " as the latter had spoken in a speech which 
he was even then franking all over the country, Web- 
ster delivered the words in such tones that one of his 
hearers declared that he felt all the night afterward, 
as if a heavy canonade had been resounding in his 
ears. Again in his eulogy on Adams and Jefferson, 
when coming to the climax of his description of John 
Adam's oratory, he raised his body, brought his hands 
in front of him with a swing, and stepping to the front 
of the stage, said with a broad swell and an imperious 
upward surge of the gruff tones of his voice, "He spoke 
onward, right onward." He threw into that single 
word "onward" such a shock of force that several 
auditors who sat directly in front of the stage, found 
themselves involuntarily rising from their seats with 
the start the words gave them. 

Webster's style was Demosthenian, rather than Cic- 
eronian. It was not ornate but simple, strong and 
sublime. He appealed to the understanding more 
than to the heart. His imagination was large and 
comprehensive, but never carried him, like Burke, into 
the realms of fancy ; it gathered the material for its 
splendid pictures from the world of business and 
strife. In addressing a jury or an assembly of men, 
he built his arguments upon facts. He never em- 
ployed sophisms, nor verbal dexterities, nor intellec- 
tual juggleries. In early youth he memorized many 
extracts from Milton and Shakespeare which left their 
impression on his style, for his sentences have a 



DEPAETMENTS. 637 

rylitlim resembling- blank verse. He generally spoke 
extempore, but the thought was carefully meditated 
upon beforehand. Sometimes he prepared orator- 
ical passages which he memorized, especially was 
that the case with his first Bunker Hill address. His 
most distinguished speech is that which he made in 
reply to Hayne. 

Dramatic Reading. — What we have said about 
Public reading is applicable to stage elocution. The 
eloquence of the ancients has been preserved on the 
stage. The ancient Greek and Eoman orators have 
never been surpassed by those of modern times. 
They spent years of patient study in order to mas- 
ter the art of oratory. The voice was thoroughly 
trained and the emotional nature developed. There 
have been orators like Whitefield and Chatham who 
have almost rivalled Demosthenes and Cicero, but 
on the modern stage the perfection which character- 
ized the elocution of the ancients has been equalled 
if not sometimes surpassed. Indeed to our stage is 
due the preservation of the elocutionary art. Schools 
and colleges for many years gave up the practice of 
elocution, and even many public speakers regarded 
it as non-essential to public speaking. The stage, 
however, could not thrive without elocution. Men of 
oratorical natures were drawn to her because 
of the splendid field she offered to human elo- 
quence, and so there has been a magnificent roll of 
tragedians who in every age have shown the over- 
whelming power of the human voice when magnetized 
by the passions. It is because tha stage thus appeals 
to the human heart by employing the language of the 
mental states that she draws the mass of people to her 
entertainment ; the Church does not draw people be- 
cause she prefers to use conventional language. 



638 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

The requisites for a good actor are many. There 
must be a high endowment of physical and mental 
qualities. His physique must be strong and impres- 
sive. His voice good and capable of the most varied 
modifications. The actor ought also to possess all 
the mental states in excessive development. He 
should have the power to grasp fully the meaning of 
the part he wishes to play, not only as the author con- 
ceived it, but even to realize the present existence of 
the character. Imagination in its lower sense of con- 
ception, and in its higher sense of creation, should 
color all his representations. He should have power 
to sympathize with, and to so enter into the passions 
and thoughts of his character that for the time being 
he becomes not an actor but the very person himself. 
A good liberal education will be found useful to an 
actor since it will enable him to realize more clearly 
the higher principles of the histrionic art. The study 
of human nature phrenologically and physiognom- 
ically is of the utmost importance. The general prin- 
ciples of the art of reading character should be 
familiar to him, and he ought to be capable of analyz- 
ing types of character. No actor can truly personate 
a character unless he can assume the facial expression, 
walk and striking attitudes of that character. What 
can render more effectual aid in this direction than 
the study of the expression of the instincts, emotions 
and passions ? An actor has often to make up faces 
to suit different characters — faces of villains, mur- 
derers, etc. A knowledge of physiognomy will enable 
him to do this more skillfully. An actor if he wishes 
to reach the highest success in his profession must 
devote considerable time to the study of character. 

Garrick is admitted to have approached nearest 
to the ideal of dramatic perfection. His voice was 



DEPABTMENTS. 639 

clear, full, round and wonderfully expressive. His 
countenance could portray any .passion by its mar- 
vellous contraction and relaxation of its facial muscles. 
He was a close student of human nature ; -and could 
read the characters of men like a book. It is said of 
him that he visited the court of the French king, and 
so close were his observations of all that took place 
while he was there, that he could imitate even to the 
smallest particular, the gesture, expression of count- 
enance, walk, and bearing of all the nobility and gen- 
try of the French court. Garrick did much in Lis day 
to elevate the art of acting and introduced a new era 
in the histrionic profession by breaking through con- 
ventional usages, and showing the beauty and im- 
pressiveness of natural acting. His brain was large 
and active, his temperament oratorical, being men- 
tal-vital. His emotional nature must have been warm 
and extremely susceptible to passionate influences. 
He had all the conditions for magnetic power over an 
audience, for besides his emotional temperament his 
figure was well developed, his face frank and expres- 
sive, his eyes large and full of fire spoke the rapid 
changes of his soul. 

Macready, Booth, Kean, Miss Cushman, Julia 
Dean and Siddons achieved great success on the 
stage. Among living actors none are so prominent 
as^ Edwin Booth and Irving. Henry Irving has done 
much to improve the histrionic art, not only by intro- 
ducing powerful and appropriate scenic representa- 
tions, but by drilling his supports so skillfully that all 
the characters in the drama contribute to its success- 
ful representation. Other star actors have sought 
rather a weak support in order that they might shine 
the more conspicuously. Mr. Irving deserves great 
praise for breaking through this selfish custom an< I 



G40 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

presenting Shakespeare's plays in their entirety by 
choosing able actors to personate the inferior char- 
acters, rather than exhibiting himself as conspicuous 
in the midst of mediocrity. Irving has many of the 
highest histrionic gifts. His temperament is dramatic 
rather than oratorical, and he expresses the mental 
states by his gestures as well as by his voice. His 
acting of heavy melo-dramatic character is very pow- 
erful and true to nature. His versatility is really mar- 
vellous, for not only can he act well inferior char- 
acter in comedy as well as tragedy, but even in the 
personation of the same character he can change with 
ease and facility from one passion to another. It 
requires great skill to discriminate between the stages 
of passion and to make the sudden changes neces- 
sary for their proper expression. We know that the 
precautionary passions diminish, and the aggressive 
increase the vital action, that the body is relaxed in 
the former and braced in the latter, and to change 
suddenly from the one to the other is not easy. We 
have seen actors utterly violate this principle and 
bellow and rave when they should have shown the de- 
pressed conditions of fear. Many actors in person- 
ating Hamlet, speak to the ghost with the tones of 
anger rather than fear, and drive the terror-inspiring 
phantom from the stage, with the gestures and tones 
of haughty self-esteem and combativeness, instead of 
the tones of courage softened by the tones of fear. 
Irving in his impersonation of Matthias in " The Bells " 
displays in quick succession all the revulsions from fear 
to courage, from courage to despair. The sharp shrill 
cry of fear strikes the ear with such suddenness, that 
the audience feels a thrill of terror, then follows the 
defiant tone of courage, which soon gives place to 
despair. This versatility characterizes Irving's acting 



DEPARTMENTS. 641 

in comedy as well as tragedy. He has a perfect com- 
mand of all the mental states, and correctly expresses 
them in voice and gesture. 

Edwin Booth has also been an earnest worker in the 
cause of elevating the histrionic art. When the pop- 
ular taste of the age craves so passionately, spec- 
tacular plays and low comedies, the influence of a 
great actor like Booth can not be over-estimated. In 
truth were it not for such men as Booth and Irving, 
Shakespeare's tragedies and all classic plays of a 
high order might disappear from our stage entirely. 
Booth's acting is deservedly popular his voice is 
flexible and expressive. His temperament has a de- 
cided prevalence of the mental states, hence his rep- 
resentations of character are scholarly and classical. 

Sacred Reading. — In nearly all churches and places 
of public worship the Scripture is read every Sabbath. 
In the Episcopal church especially the greater por- 
tion of the service is occupied in reading Scripture, 
psalms and prayers. The sermon, also, is usually read. 
The Scriptures are often shorn of their beauty by the 
unnatural style in which they are read. A reform is 
needed in the manner of reading Scripture in all the 
churches. Scripture is but a verbal representation 
of the mental states which once swayed the apostles 
and writers of the Bible. It is the object of the min- 
ister to convey these mental states to the audience. 
He ought not, therefore, to assume any tones which 
are not natural ; he should convey with reverence the 
language of each emotion and thought. It is a good 
sign that the people are becoming more and more 
weary every day of conventional tones. The holy 
whine and monotonous drawl are not now regarded 
as inspired. 

While advocating natural elocution in Scripture we 



642 



ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 




wish to warn the student against employing tones of 
voice unsuitable to divine worship. The church is 
not a theatre, nor is Scripture dramatic composition 
as prepared for the stage. Scripture is dramatic in 
as much as it represents and appeals to the passions 
of the human heart, but the nature of the passions 
appealed to are different in each case. On the stage 
the evil passions may predominate over the good. In 
the church such passions should seldom appear. Every 
emotion and thought must be colored more or less by 
the higher sentiments of veneration and benevolence. 
Faith, hope and love are the sentiments which ought 
to shine through the reading of Scripture. While the 
voice and gesture should be natural, they must be 
subdued by soothing emotions. It is not only out of 
place and sacrilegious, but extremely ridiculous for 
any one to read the Bible in the boisterous, combative 
tone, which is not unfrequently heard in places of 
divine worship. Keligion deals with the gentler pas- 
sions of the human heart, hence the delivery should 
be subdued and reverential. 

Pulpit Oratory. — The eloquence of the pulpit is 
higher in its aim than the eloquence of the senate, 
bar or platform. It appeals to the loftiest sentiments 
of the human constitution. Man, in all his relations 
to his fellow men and to God, his present duties and 
heavenly anticipations and the perfect development 
of all his faculties, falls within the scope of preaching. 
No department of oratory, ancient or modern, offers 
so wide a field. Emotions and sentiments rarely 
awakened by the pleader or senator, become passion- 
ate when aroused by the eloquence of the preacher ; 
these are the highest emotions of our nature. The 
aggressive, self-estimative and precautionary groups 
may be addressed, but their energy must be subor- 



MPAilTMMfs. 643 

dinated to the more lofty spirit of the religious emo- 
tions. The firm decisions of justice should be mel- 
lowed by the kindness of benevolence, the alarmed 
conscience soothed by the cheerful emotions of hope ; 
and around all should be thrown the radiance of the 
spiritual emotions — wonder, marvellousness and ven- 
eration, ideality and sublimity, endowed with power 
from on high, should adorn with splendid diction and 
imagery every sentiment and idea. Yeneration and 
benevolence are the very life of pulpit eloquence. 
From veneration emanates the eloquent sublimity of 
prayer, and all that stillness and awe which directs 
every eye heavenward, as if the Creator himself, not 
a weak mortal, was speaking. " The master speaks " 
said Massillon, as a thunder-storm almost drowned 
his voice, and he paused till one peal had passed, 
only to pause again as another rolled on ; " When the 
master speaks" said he, during an interval of death- 
like stillness," it becomes the servant to be silent ." 
Such is the eloquence of veneration ; it is an eloquence 
which at once lifts the soul to God's throne, and 
humbles it at his foot-stool ; points to Omnipotence, 
and then marvels — what is man that Omnipotence 
is mindful of him and visiteth him. 

The best oratorical temperament for a successful 
pulpit orator, is the mental-vital, the mental being in 
the ascendency. A strong constitution is essential to 
success in the ministry as well as in other professions. 
Nothing tends more to make religion gloomy than to 
have it heralded by a feeble tongue and infirm hand. 
A young man in the full vigor of health, with the 
natural passions glowing, but under the control of his 
higher nature, speaks with a persuasive power that a 
dwarfed specimen of humanity, destitute of the nat- 



644 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

ural passions of men, and whose piety springs from 
native imbecility, never can command. 

In the first we can see great possibilities for good or 
evil, and as he has voluntarily chosen the good so 
he commands our respect ; in the second we can dis- 
cern no tendencies either way, but simply a piety which 
is born of weakness of constitution. The cheerful 
voice of a hale, hearty minister inspires hope. Kelig- 
ion is life, not death ; happiness not gloom. 

Never assume an artificial tone of voice because it 
seems more reverential or more appropriate for 
Divine worship. The only reverential tones are the 
natural ones. The expressive language of the mental 
states is the same for the pulpit as the forum. How 
utterly inappropriate and unnatural is the tone of 
voice too often employed in the delivery of sermons 
and church service. The drawling, nasal twang or 
the heavy voice muffled in the throat, or loaded with 
all the impurities of contracted vocal organs is deemed 
the most appropriate voice for the delivery of truths 
instinct with life. Banish from divine worship all 
such tones, they are unworthy of the great and mer- 
ciful Being who has endowed us with organs capable 
of the most marvellous intonations. Why should a 
nasal twang, guttural snarl, sing-song monotony or 
aspirated chest-voice be more acceptable to Him who 
has endowed the emotions and passions with the 
most flexible, expressive and soul-stirring language ? 
Whence rose the notion that unnatural tones are the 
only appropriate ones for divine worship ? The 
answer is not hard to find. All these tones together 
with other mummery of ritual, gesture and manner 
had their origin among the heathen priests. Divine 
worship to the gods of ancient times was offered in 
mumbling inarticulate sounds. There was a kind of 



DEPARTMENTS. 645 

magical operation in all that the ancient priests per- 
formed. God was worshipped not as a father or par- 
ental creator, but as a being to be feared more than 
loved, hence it was thought by the ignorant priests 
that the only worship acceptable to the great Being 
was one clothed with awe and mystery. So they em- 
ployed the tones of fear and mystery rather than those 
of love. They sought to propitiate God by magical 
rites, strange and unnatural voice sounds. The formu- 
las employed in the worship of their gods and in their 
magical incantations were uttered in sing-song tones, 
or in strange appalling sounds. In order to produce 
the sounds the vocal organs had to assume unnatural 
positions. From the frequent use of these tones for 
the purpose of worship they came to be recognized 
as the language of reverence. The Christian priests 
have unconsciously imitated them, and so these tones 
are still employed in divine worship. Did it ever 
occur to those who employ these artificial voices as 
the most reverential, that the same God who taught 
the emotion of reverence its own peculiar language, 
also endowed the passions of love, courage, honor, 
admiration, wonder, beauty, joy and grief with their 
own expressive language ? Did the thought ever cross 
their minds that the use of the language of reverence 
for the language of hope and joy was a substitution 
of the nature of irreverence to God ? Does such a 
substitution not seem like a virtual declaration that 
we can improve upon God's ordained expression ? 
The language of emotion and passion is the same for 
the pulpit as the forum. Why then, do ministers 
persist in delivering all emotions in the same way ? 
Why are people's sensibilities perpetually pained by 
monotony and tedium where there should be variety ? 



646 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

Why should dislike of religious worship be bred iu 
multitudes of Christians by unnatural styles of de- 
livery ? Religion is associated by some people with 
feelings of gloom, fear aud despair because of these 
artificial tones. If you love God, if you earnestly 
desire people to attend divine worship throw away 
these unnatural tones, speak like a man, not like a 
mumbling heathen priest. Let Christ shine through 
your own personality. Speak the language of the 
passions in the pulpit and out of the pulpit. Let joy, 
hope, courage and energy illumine your countenance, 
as well as fear and reverence. Be true to the manly 
feelings which stir your heart, and you need not fear 
of being irreverent. The God of reverence and fear 
is also the God of love, courage, hope and joy. 

St. Chrysostom, Whitefield, Robert Hall, Chalmers, 
Robertson, Guthrie and Henry Ward Beecher rep- 
resent the highest types of pulpit oratory. A chap- 
ter should be devoted to an analysis and exposi- 
tion of the eloquence of these distinguished orators, 
but our space is limited. Whitefield is regarded as 
the prince of pulpit orators. He had the full orator- 
ical temperament. His style of eJoquence was emo- 
tional, passional and imaginative. He drew crowds 
wherever he went. Twenty-five thousand people was 
not an uncommon audience for him. His earnestness, 
enthusiasm and impassioned eloquence made converts 
by the hundred. He had a marvellous voice — full, 
orotund, flexible and expressive. The low notes were 
like zephyr breezes ; the high, like thunder peals. He 
wrote out his sermons and repeated them from mem- 
ory ; like so many compositions, they improved with 
each repetition. This gave him an opportunity to per- 
fect his delivery ; his voice and gestures were wonder- 



DEPARTMENTS. 647 

fully dramatic. Although his sermons were prepared, 
he could speak well extemporaneously, and often made 
use of illustrations suggested by the occasion. 



CHAPTEK XXXI. 

THE STUDY OF CHARACTER ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS IN 
ORATORY. 



The study of character is important in oratory, yet 
it has received but little or no consideration from 
writers on eloquence. If all men were constituted 
alike and were always in the same mood, a speaker 
would need only to judge for himself how to move 
others. Every speaker has much in common with his 
hearers, but it would be weakness for him to suppose 
other persons to be actuated in all things like himself. 
If we study human nature closely we will find that 
the young do not comprehend the feelings of the old. 
Many of the moods are not rightly understood by 
those unacquainted with their emotional temperament. 
Professional culture induces peculiarities of character; 
the lawyer differs from the minister, and the physician 
looks at things in his own way. The rich look haught- 
ily down upon the poor, and attribute their poverty 
to indolence because unacquainted with their char- 
acter. Hank and title lead the aristocrat to despise 
the untitled, not knowing that nobility of character 
needs no title to commend it. 
(648) 



THE STUDY OF CHARACTER. 649 

Natural temperaments differ greatly. The man of 
emotional disposition wonders why his brother of the 
lymphatic constitution is so cold. The energetic and 
pushing man can hardly endure the indolent. The 
impulsive nature does not understand the cautious 
and circumspect. National characteristics must be 
studied in order to know how to address people of 
each nation. American. English. French or German 
audiences are not moved in the same way. For per- 
suasive ends the orator must make himself acquainted 
with the minute details of character. Nothing aids 
more effectually in this direction than personal expe- 
rience. Let the minister who wishes to bring men to 
Christ go among all classes and gain their confidence 
by personal sympathy. The lawyer should study the 
character of his client and the witnesses to know just 
how far he can permit them to testify. Many success- 
ful lawyers attribute their success to their discrimin- 
ation of the characters of the jurymen. By watching 
closely their countenances they could tell what effect 
their arguments were making, who were likely to 
give a favorable verdict and who would be stubborn. 

It is well to have in view a systematic scheme of 
man's nature, a classification and exposition of the 
mind's activities, feelings and intellectual faculties. 
The advantage of such a systematic view can not be 
over-estimated. It gives a knowledge of men in gen- 
eral, tells what to look for as characteristic of hu- 
manity in every land and among every race. It en- 
ables a speaker to classify men, and to arrange his 
thoughts with the view to persuading individuals oi 
each class. In fact it goes far beyond that, it directs 
his attention to the special emotions or passions 
which may dominate individuals. With such a know- 
ledge an orator can more easily learn to adapt his 



650 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

discourse to the mental capacity of his audience. 
The trouble with most sermons is, that they do not fit 
the audience. A minister without any knowledge of 
the human mind and character, theoretical or practi- 
cal, preaches the same kind of discourse to coal- 
heavers that he delivers to a congregation of educated 
people. He goes among a band of miners and 
preaches a sermon on the relative advantages and 
disadvantages of the free pew system, or discourses 
learned subtleties of the conflict between science and 
religion. With knowledge of character, and the 
effect certain employments have upon men, a speaker 
would not commit such a blunder. 

Often has an uneducated preacher, springing from 
the lowly ranks of toil — by his knowledge of men ac- 
quired through experience — put to shame the efforts 
of the learned divine. This character study should 
be pursued still deeper into the very hearts of men to 
discover their especial loves and hates, their favorite 
maxims and pet arguments, with the view to gaining 
access to the very citadel of their wills. To know 
that a man loves or hates is not sufficient, but against 
what he directs his love or hate. We must discover 
a man's enmities and friendships, party affinities and 
objects of respect and veneration with a view to see- 
ing him through those feelings. Among all classes 
of men there are maxims which guide their conduct. 
These maxims are largely formed by their education 
and the influence of surrounding circumstances. 
Each man has individual maxims or opinions by 
which he regulates his own affairs, his family and 
business. Arguments in harmony with these will 
command his assent. Every political body or society 
of men have certain opinions which regulate the pub- 
lic conduct of affairs ; these opinions should be learned 



THE STUDY OF CHAEACTER. 651 

by the orator and turned to good account. The study 
of national government— monarchical,republican and 
democratic, will throw some light on the maxims of 
political bodies. English opinions regarding constitu- 
tional monarchy, official responsibility liberty of the 
subject, and national ascendency differ from those of 
other nations. An orator must not address an En- 
glishman as he would a Frenchman. Lawyers, in ad- 
dition to their knowledge of judicial cases have pe- 
culiar maxims regarding trial and punishment. The 
scientific mind is not persuaded by arguments which 
satisfy the religious nature. Peculiar forms of mo- 
rality must also be observed. " Be just before you 
are generous." " Man cannot live by bread alone." 
The laws of nature are often appealed to as guiding 
principles of conduct. 

Logical minds respect logical argument ; intuitive 
minds, first principles and self-evident propositions. 
In addressing professional men an orator should be 
careful to speak with a certain degree of knowledge 
of the tenets peculiar to each. The judge inclines his 
ear to the man who knows the law ; the minister to the 
man who has some idea of theological truth. Delib- 
erative bodies respect the orator who understands 
and acts according to their rules of procedure, and 
their laws and decisions. 

It is important to an advocate to be able to dis- 
cover whether his witnesses are likely to prevaricate 
or tell the truth. We can usually tell when a person 
who has a high moral character endeavors to pre- 
varicate from his general behavior, manner of speak- 
ing, etc. But the observation of many years has re- 
vealed to us that there are individuals so constituted 
that they can lie without the slightest sign of trepi- 
dation or compunction. It may be formulated as a fact 






652 ELOCUTION AND ORATORY. 

that hardened criminals, in their manners and speech, 
are more self-possessed and deceptive than the young 
and inexperienced. The excitement and novelty of 
a court-room trial will embarass an honest and mod- 
est witness to such an extent that he may appear to 
prevaricate. On the other hand naturally dishonest 
and bold witnesses have no fear, but are cool, and 
have their wits sharpened to tell a straighforward tale. 
Sometimes a lawyer tries to bully the truth out of such 
witnesses, but that is the kind of treatment they have 
been most used to so it has no effect upon them. Often- 
times a soft tone, and an unguarded and unsuspicious 
way of asking questions, will lead such witnesses into 
a spider's web more readily than the blustering style 
which so many advocates adopt. The best way to 
conquer such criminals and witnesses is to have some 
knowledge of their character. This scientific phys- 
iognomy will conveniently supply. Every sin commit- 
ted and frequently repeated leaves its trace on the 
face. These impressions become so fixed that the 
muscles of the face employed in their expression, and 
even the soft bones and flesh adjacent to the muscles, 
take on the form of the passions which have raged 
so long, and by their shape and form are sure signs 
of the individual's special sins. If an advocate is able 
to separate these signs and connect them with the 
vicious habits they indicate, he will have a ready 
means of understanding the characters of the wit- 
nesses and criminals who come before him. How 
easy it is to detect the refined and truthful lady in 
the features ! How stupid and vicious are the low 
undeveloped women of the slums ! Compare the 
sweet benevolent face of a Florence Nightingale with 
that of a Biddy McBruser. Professional men should 
study the features of their clients, and business men 



THE STUDY OF CHAEACTEE. G53 

should watch the play of the emotions on the faces 
of those who deal with them. The chapter on the 
Expression of the Emotions and Passions read in this 
connection will be found highly useful on this sub- 
ject. See how the features are contracted when a 
person is under the influence of disagreeable emo- 
tions, and how open they are in the expression of the 
agreeable emotions. We are earnest in our convic- 
tion from years of personal study of the matter that 
the study of character can be very profitably pur- 
sued by reading approved books on Phrenology 
and Physiognomy, and the elocutionist who has not 
included them in his own training has omitted a very 
important aid to the attainment of the best success 
in his useful art. 







































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